Composition Practice: Grade 12

Grammar and Composition
Composition Practice
Grade 12
Acknowledgments
Grateful acknowledgment is given authors, publishers, and agents for permission to
reprint the following copyrighted material. Every effort has been made to determine
copyright owners. In the case of any omissions, the Publisher will be pleased to make
suitable acknowledgments in future editions.
p. 21 From Skindiving in the Virgins and Other Poems by John Malcolm Brinnin.
Copyright 1970 by John Malcolm Brinnin. Published by Delacorte
Press/Seymour Lawrence.
p. 27 From Poetry Nippon by Naoshi Koriyama. Copyright 1970 by The Poetry
Society of Japan, Nagaya, Japan.
p. 33 From The Dunwich Horror and Others by August Derleth and S. T. Joshi.
Copyright 1963 by August Derleth. Published by Arkham House Publishers, Inc.
p. 41 From Gifts of Passage by Santha Rama Rau. Copyright 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955,
1957, 1958, 1960, 1961 by Vasanthi Rama Rau Bowers. Reprinted by permission
of HarperCollins Publishers.
p. 50 From Fatherhood by Bill Cosby. Copyright 1986 by William H. Cosby Jr. Used
by permission of Doubleday, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing
Group, Inc.
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
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granted to reproduce material contained herein on the condition that such material be
reproduced only for classroom use; and be provided to students, teachers, and families
without charge; and be used solely in conjunction with Writers Choice. Any other
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ii
Contents
Unit 1 Personal Writing

1.1 Writing as Self-Discovery I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Writing as Self-Discovery II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2 Using a Journal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 Learning with a Learning Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 Writing a College Application Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.5 Writing a Rsum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.6 Writing About Literature: Expressing Opinions About Literature. . . . . . . . . 7
1.7 Writing About Literature: Creative Responses to Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Unit 2 The Writing Process

2.1 An Overview of the Writing Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2 Prewriting: Finding a Topic I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.2 Prewriting: Finding a Topic II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.3 Prewriting: Establishing Purpose and Audience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.4 Drafting: Ordering Your Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.5 Drafting: Writing with Unity and Coherence I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.5 Drafting: Writing with Unity and Coherence II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.6 Revising: Checking Content and Structure I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.6 Revising: Checking Content and Structure II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.7 Revising: Replacing Clichs, Jargon, and Sexist Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.8 Editing/Proofreading: Finalizing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.9 Publishing/Presenting: Sharing Your Writing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.10 Writing About Literature: Analyzing Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Unit 3 Descriptive Writing

3.1 Organizing Descriptions I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.1 Organizing Descriptions II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3.2 Writing a Unified and Coherent Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.3 Using Figurative Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.4 Using Analogies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.5 Writing About Literature: Analyzing Imagery
in Descriptive Writing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
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Contents
Unit 4 Narrative Writing

4.1 Setting the Narrative Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4.2 Ordering Time in a Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
4.3 Building Narrative Suspense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
4.4 Using Point of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.5 Writing a Short-Short Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
4.6 Writing About Literature: Analyzing a Narrative
for Film Adaptation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Unit 5 Expository Writing

5.1 Writing an Expository Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
5.2 Writing Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
5.3 Explaining Causal Relationships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
5.4 Explaining by Using an Analogy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
5.5 Using Visuals That Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
5.6 Explaining Problems, Proposing Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
5.7 Writing an Analysis I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
5.7 Writing an Analysis II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.8 Writing a Business Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
5.9 Comparing and Contrasting Opinions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
5.10 Writing About Literature: Comparing and
Contrasting Biographies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Unit 6 Persuasive Writing

6.1 Writing a Persuasive Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
6.2 Analyzing and Using Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
6.3 Detecting Errors in Logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
6.4 Using Inductive and Deductive Reasoning I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
6.4 Using Inductive and Deductive Reasoning II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
6.5 Writing a Satirical Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
6.6 Creating a Satirical Cartoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
6.7 Writing About Literature: Analyzing a Critical Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
iv
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
1.1 Writing as Self-Discovery I

Key Information
Personal writing offers a unique opportunity to make sense of your experiences and to think more
deeply about your life. Freewriting, charts, and cluster diagrams can be used to generate a topic
that is important to you. Using clear, specific language helps you to focus your subject. Personal writ-
ing invites you to create works that accurately reflect your background and interests.
Charting Ideas
1. The left-hand column in the chart below lists ten general areas of personal experience in
which you may find writing ideas. Choose any three of the areas of experience on the chart,
and then fill out the middle and right-hand columns for the ones you select. The first item
is filled in for you as a sample.
Area of Experience Specific Instance Writing Idea
1. School Memories school play my wig falling off on stage
2. Family
3. Neighbors
4. Sports
5. Food
6. Fads and Styles
7. Friends
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
8. Travel
9. My Heroes
10. Pet Peeves
11.
2. Create a category of your own, and write it next to number 11 in the left-hand column on
the chart above. Then fill in the middle column with a specific instance of your own. In the
right-hand column list writing ideas suggested by the instance.
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 1 1

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
1.1 Writing as Self-Discovery II

Key Information
Personal writing helps to build an awareness of who you are and what is meaningful to you. Through
the use of freewriting, you can generate topics that are important to you. Once youve chosen your
topic, remember that good writing depends on your ability to focus on the topic. Clear, specific lan-
guage results from focusing: naming particular actions, describing a setting, creating a mood.
A. Using Freewriting
Freewrite about your feelings concerning your graduation from high school. Are you looking
forward to it? Do you view it as a beginning? an ending? simply an event? What emotions do
you think the event will spark?
B. Focusing Subjects
Rewrite the following paragraph so that it has a clear focus. Use specific language to fill in the

details of the scene. Describe the setting, create a mood, and describe particular actions.
Model
I walk in the room, look around, and realize that I do not know anybody there. I want to turn and
leave, but I cant. As I look around the room, hoping that no one is looking back, I am struck by
the realization that I feel frightened. I dont know why, but I turn and leave immediately.
2 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 1

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
1.2 Using a Journal

Key Information
You determine the purpose of your personal journal. Keeping a journal of any type helps you to stay
in touch with your feelings and experiences. It can be a place to record your reactions to various peo-
ple, places, and events. Keeping a journal can also help you sharpen your awareness of yourself and
the world around you.
A. Keeping a Journal
The model below reveals how Joan Didion uses her own journal, which she refers to as her
notebook. Read the model and answer the questions that follow.
Literature Model
S ee enough and write it down, I tell myself, and then some morning when the world seems
drained of wonder, some day when I am only going through the motions of doing what I am
supposed to do, which is writeon that bankrupt morning I will simply open my notebook and
there it will all be, a forgotten account with accumulated interest, paid passage back to the world
out there: dialogue overheard in hotels and elevators and at the hat-check counter in Pavillion (one
middle-aged man shows his hat check to another and says, Thats my old football number); . . .
I imagine, in other words, that the notebook is about other people. But of course it is not. I
have no real business with what one stranger said to another at the hat-check counter in Pavillion;
. . . Remember what it was to be me: that is always the point.
Joan Didion, On Keeping a Notebook
1. What is Joan Didion comparing her journal to?

_______________________________________________________________________________
2. Do you think Didion finds keeping a journal useful? Why?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. What types of information does Didion keep in her journal?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph describing what you would put in your
own journal and how you would use it.
B. Writing a Journal Entry

On a separate sheet of paper, write a journal entry describing a typical school day. Keep in
mind Didions point: Remember what it was to be me.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
1.3 Learning with a Learning Log

Key Information
A learning log, a notebook kept for writing about what you learn both in and out of school, can
help you to improve your ability to learn new information. When you write about what you are
learning, you process the information more deeply by incorporating it into your long-term memory.
Try to set aside a specific time to write in your log to ensure that you dont miss important oppor-
tunities to learn.
Using Learning Logs

Read the passage below, focusing on and identifying key words, subject, and meaning. Then
answer the questions that follow.
Model
T he term cancer refers to hundreds of diseases, all of which are characterized by abnormal cell
shape and growth. In humans about 250 different types of cancer occur, some more frequently
than others. Sites commonly affected by cancer include the skin and lungs. Fortunately, skin cancer
is highly curable, and skin cancer as well as lung cancer is preventable.
Fair-skinned people are at greater risk of contracting skin cancer than are those having larger
amounts of the pigment melanin in their skin. However, the risk can be reduced by using sunblock-
ing agents for protection from cancer-causing ultraviolet rays, by wearing protective clothing, and
by limiting the amount of time spent in the sun. For those who do contract skin cancer, 95 percent
of those treated for the disease recover. Lung cancer is one of the most preventable cancers:
smokers are ten times more likely to develop lung cancer than are nonsmokers. Not smoking or
quitting smoking greatly reduces the risk of developing this deadly disease.
1. In your learning log, what would you identify as the subject or focus of the passage?
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. What specific words, phrases, or sentences would you note in your learning log as being

particularly important to understanding the material?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. How would you review the material presented in this passage?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. What other information would you like to know about the subject?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
1.4 Writing a College Application Essay

Key Information
The goal of your college application essay is to show who you are: a unique individual. Focus on a
memorable and interesting aspect of your life. Once you have chosen a focus, relax and write a good
story about yourself. Remember to revise and edit your draft until you are ready to copy it onto your
application.
Understanding College Application Essays

Below are excerpts from college application essays. Read each excerpt, and on a separate sheet
of paper answer the questions that follow.
Model 1
W ith all the treasured values I have gained from my venerable parents, learned teachers,
esteemed classmates, and enthusiastic teammates, I actually stumbled upon my life philoso-
phy while watching a television program during my sophomore year. Bill Cosby, as in The Bill Cosby
Show, was advising his fictional and wayward son, You gotta read and study, but you also gotta
do. That seemed like a good dictum upon which to hang my hatand by which to guide my life.
Since then I have been fairly successful at balancing book learning with hands-on experience.
1. What is the focus of this essay?

2. Is the tone of this paragraph formal or satirical? Cite words or phrases to support your
view.
3. Do you think the rest of this essay will be interesting to read? Why?
4. What kind of information can you anticipate will follow this opening paragraph?
Model 2
T he sign of maturity is no longer seeing things as strictly black or white. The American litera-
ture teachers casual remark was more powerful than her most emphasized assertions. I
began to see that things were not as simple as they once seemed. While I admit that sometimes I
dont want to grow up, and I still see things in either-or terms, I feel that I am beginning to accept
ambiguity. I have learned that things arent black or white in the humanities or the sciences. Why
should they be in my life? I would say that I have embarked on the road to maturity and that Im
ready for new challenges.
5. Do you think the tone of this essay is serious or light-hearted?

6. Is the topic of this essay important to the applicant? How do you know?
7. What are some illustrative details the author might include in this essay?

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
1.5 Writing a Rsum

Key Information
A rsum summarizes your work experience, education, career objective, applicable skills, and experi-
ence, and lists people who can attest to your character and abilities. Your rsum is the first demon-
stration your prospective employer sees of your communication skills. Therefore it is crucial that you
describe everything accurately and concisely. A well-organized rsum that is clearly and precisely
written will always put you in a positive light.
A. Constructing a Rsum
On a separate sheet of paper, condense the following information into a clear, concise, and
well-organized rsum. Use the information provided, and make up appropriate dates. Be sure
to include each of the following headings, in order, as part of the rsum: Objective,
Experience, Education, Skills and Interests, and References. Reword the information in any way
that you wish.
Michael Planco is applying for a job as a part-time worker. He wants to work in a pet shop
after school and on Saturday.
Michael lives at 1469 Washington Street in Hollywood, Florida. His phone number is
305-652-0076. His ZIP code is 33143.
Michael worked at Publix Supermarket as a bag boy and stock clerk all last summer. For two
years before that, he worked after school and on Saturdays as a clerk at Eckerds Drugstore
on Miami Gardens Drive. In the 7th and 8th grades he delivered a weekly newspaper in his
neighborhood.
Michael has been a volunteer for the Broward County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals for the past three years. He has been helping the staff take care of dogs and cats
brought to the animal shelter.
Michael is graduating in June from MacArthur High School. He is a senior.
He can feed and care for birds, snakes, dogs, cats, gerbils.
He is willing to clean cages, stock merchandise, and do whatever is asked of him.
Michael can operate a cash register.

Michael is giving the following people as references:
Mr. Roger Reeves, biology teacher, MacArthur High School, Hollywood, FL 33143, tel.
# 305-652-8943
Mrs. Juanita Greene, assistant manager, Publix Supermarket, Hollywood Boulevard,
Hollywood, FL 33143, tel. # 305-652-3261
He has worked on his aunts horse farm since he was nine.
Michael owns six snakes, three birds, two gerbils, and a dachshund named Snorkel.
He plans to attend Florida State University to major in biology. He hopes to become a
veterinarian.
He has read many books about animals and animal care.
B. Understanding Rsums
Read the two model rsum entries below. Choose the one that is appropriate for a rsum.
On a separate sheet of paper, explain why.
1. My senior independent project was to report how the city could be better run. I
interviewed many people in the city government, did research, made comparisons to
other cities, and delivered my report at a city council meeting.
2. Conducted study assessing city management. Interviewed civic officials, researched
management in other cities, presented findings before city council.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
W R I T I N G A B O U T L I T E R AT U R E
1.6 Expressing Opinions About Literature

Key Information
Developing good, solid responses to literature results from paying close attention to your impressions
and feelings while you are reading, not just after youve finished. To keep track of your responses,
keep a reader-response journal beside you as you read. Once you discover your general attitude
toward a piece of literature, look to find examples from the text to support your opinions; remember,
you must be able to defend your critical observations with specific examples.
Writing About Literature

The model below is an opinion piece about the short novel The Old Man and the Sea. Read the
model, and answer the questions that follow.
Model
E rnest Hemingways novel The Old Man and the Sea is a superbly written, tragic story of an old,
Cuban fisherman and his epic struggle with a giant marlin and the sea. Everything about him
was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and unde-
feated. This sentence describes the old man who is seemingly part of the sea in which he fishes. A
sea that gives him life as well as takes life away.
The central character of the novel is the old man, who is of singular character and strength.
Hemingways understated writing style takes the reader on a three-day odyssey as the old man, the
marlin, and the sea battle for survival. The stoic old man . . . settled comfortably against the
wood [of the boat] and took his suffering as it came. . . . But the old man must battle more than
just the marlin; before the story ends, he must battle his age, hunger, and sharks.
1. What is the writers opinion of the book?

2. What example does the writer use to show perseverance and strength of the old man in his
struggle with the marlin?
3. How could a person tell that the fisherman was cheerful and undefeated at the beginning of
the story?
4. According to the writer, what is Hemingways writing style? What is this writing style
characterized by?

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
1.7 Creative Responses to Literature

Key Information
Creative responses to fiction include writing a spoof or parody, extending the story line, creating an
imaginary journal for one of the characters, adapting an existing story for a new medium, or rewriting
the story from a different point of view. Regardless of your response, the success of your endeavor
rests on how well acquainted you are with the original piece of fiction. The best parodies are those
that reflect the original setting, characters, themes, and conflicts with a unique or humorous twist to
the language or story line. When writing a parody, familiarize yourself with the authors word choices,
sentence lengths, punctuation, and any trademark idiosyncrasies.
Understanding Parodies
In the excerpt below, Romeo, a character from William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, is out-
side looking up as Juliet comes to stand at the window. Read the excerpt carefully, focusing on
Shakespeares style.
Literature Model
R OMEO: But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her maid art far more fair than she.
Be not her maid, since she is envious.
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off.
It is my lady; O, it is my love!
O that she knew she were!
She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?

Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
I am too bold; tis not to me she speaks.
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!
William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
On a separate sheet of paper, write a parody of Romeos monologue above, re-creating

Shakespeares style but changing the object of his affections to something or someone else.
The best parodies are those that reflect the original work, while adding a unique and
humorous twist to the language and the story line.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.1 An Overview of the Writing Process

Key Information
The writing process is made up of five stages: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing/proofreading,
and publishing/presenting. Like all writers, you will probably use this process in your own way, moving
in and out of the various stages to suit the task at hand.
Analyzing Your Writing Process

Think about a writing assignment that you have recently completed. Write a paragraph analyz-
ing and explaining how and when you got your preliminary ideas, refined your ideas, decided
how to organize your material, turned your thoughts into sentences and paragraphs, polished
your work, and put it into final form. In other words, describe your writing process. Pay par-
ticular attention to times you returned to previous stages of the writing process: for example,
did you go back and gather more information to fill holes in your draft?

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.2 Prewriting: Finding a Topic I

Key Information
Clustering is a useful technique for finding a writing topic. Clustering involves connecting related
words, phrases, and ideas graphically.
Clustering
1. In the space below, explore one of the following general subjects through clustering: cities,
computers, health, sports, medical ethics.
2. Look over your cluster carefully. Select a bubble that contains a promising writing topic,
and use it as the center for another cluster that you create below. This time use the cluster
to gather ideas and details about the subject rather than to find a topic.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.2 Prewriting: Finding a Topic II

Key Information
Brainstorming and freewriting are two useful techniques for finding a writing topic. Brainstorming
involves the free association of ideas, either on your own or with other people. When you use
freewriting, you write without stopping for a specified time, using sentences or fragments, without
worrying about form or content.
A. Selecting a Topic
On the lines below, use either brainstorming or freewriting to find two or three possible topics
for an essay entitled The Person I Would Most Like to Meet.
B. Focusing Your Topic

On the lines below, use either brainstorming or freewriting to explore one of the topics you
selected in Part A. Use categories such as personality, achievements, amusing incidents, and
physical characteristics to get started.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.3 Prewriting: Establishing Purpose and Audience

Key Information
After you have chosen your topic for a piece of writing, decide on your purpose and audience. Your
purpose may be to inform, persuade, entertain, narrate, or describe. At times these purposes will
overlap. Also identify the characteristics of your audience. Your audience may be students, profes-
sionals, or special interest groups.
Exploring Purpose and Audience

1. You have decided to write about a close relative. For each of the potential audiences below,
suggest an appropriate purpose and main idea.
your classmates __________________________________________________________________
guests at your relatives birthday party ________________________________________________
school literary magazine ___________________________________________________________
2. You have developed an interest in modern sculpture. Write two different purpose-audience
combinations you could use for writing about sculpture. Be as specific as possible in
characterizing your audience.

3. Your general topic for a piece of writing is the beach. Write two different combinations of
audience, purpose, and main idea that you could use to create two very different pieces of
writing about the beach.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.4 Drafting: Ordering Your Thoughts

Key Information
Once you have determined your purpose and the main idea of a piece of writing, you need to decide
how to order your material. Possible organizational patterns include chronological order, spatial
order, order of importance, cause and effect, and compare and contrast. Your writing should
open with an introduction that presents your main idea, follow with supporting materials, and close
with a conclusion that effectively reemphasizes your main idea.
A. Choosing Organizational Patterns

Write the organizational pattern you would use if you were writing a paragraph on each of the
following topics for a general audience:
1. explaining the relationship between a computer and your memory _________________________
2. describing stress reduction through exercise and relaxation _______________________________
3. explaining how to pitch a tent ______________________________________________________
4. describing three of your favorite foods ________________________________________________
5. explaining the shape of a constellation ________________________________________________
B. Using Organizational Patterns

Choose one of the topics above, and draft a paragraph below using the organizational pattern
and topic sentence you chose. Review your paragraph to be sure your supporting material is
effective and well organized and your conclusion reemphasizes your main idea. Revise your
paragraph on a separate sheet of paper.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.5 Drafting: Writing with Unity and Coherence I

Key Information
A paragraph has unity when each sentence contributes to the main idea expressed by the topic
sentence. Coherence means that the sentences proceed logically and smoothly with no gaps in
reasoning. Transitional words and phrases often indicate the links and relationships among ideas.
A. Using Transitions to Show Order of Importance

Read the paragraph below, and underline the topic sentence. Then circle any transitional words
or phrases that indicate order of importance.
Model
New Orleans welcomes visitors with a feast for the senses. High on the list of favorite New
Orleans tourist attractions is Dixieland jazz. Jazz clubs abound throughout the city, and the music
can often be heard in the streets. Second in popularity is touring the historic buildings of the Old
French Quarter, and third is taking a ride on the showboats of the Mississippi River. Last, but not
least, are the tastes and aromas of Cajun and Creole cooking.
B. Building Unity and Coherence in a Paragraph

On the lines below, write a paragraph about a tourist attraction you know well. Underline your
topic sentence and check to see that each sentence in the paragraph relates to it. Then circle the
transitional words or phrases you used.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.5 Drafting: Writing with Unity and Coherence II

Key Information
A unified and coherent paragraph needs transitional words and phrases that indicate the links and
relationships among ideas.
A. Using Transitions
Read the following paragraph. For each numbered blank, write an appropriate transition on
the numbered line below the paragraph.
Model
S ometimes I prefer to spend my free time by myself. (1) _____, after a difficult day at school, I
enjoy being alone. After a confrontation with a family membermy brother, (2) _____ I often
need to get away from everyone and cool off. Even when Im happy about something, (3) _____ an
unexpectedly high grade on an exam, I like to jog in the park or take a run around the track before
I go home.
1. ____________________________________
2. ____________________________________
3. ____________________________________
B. Writing a Coherent Paragraph

Use the paragraph above as inspiration for thinking about times when you especially like to be
alone or particularly need to be with your friends, your family, or your dog or cat. Write a
paragraph about those times. Be sure to use transitional words or phrases to indicate compari-
son and contrast or to introduce examples.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.6 Revising: Checking Content and Structure I

Key Information
When revising your writing for content, be sure that the opening is inviting, the main idea is clearly
stated or implied, supporting ideas are clearly expressed and relevant, and there are no unnecessary
details.
Analyzing Paragraphs for Content

Keeping revision criteria in mind, read the following paragraph. Then answer the questions
below.
Model
W hen the Berlin Wall fell, so did many of our favorite spy-story plots. Enter new villains to save
the day. Since the declared end of the Cold War and the subsequent dissolution and reshap-
ing of the Soviet bloc, the popularity of Soviet spy stories has decreased greatly. Writers have had to
look elsewhere for villains and plots. Some have simply looked to their own backyard. Revised
thrillers now tend to hinge on other issues. The rather sedate English country-house murder mystery
made famous by Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham is as popular as ever.
Villains have become more and more like termites, attacking from within. However, some diehard
novelists, those who dont want to come in from the Cold War, plan fictional coups to restore the
wall of suspicion. All the world, it seems, loves an enemy.
1. What is the main idea of the paragraph?_______________________________________________
2. Which sentence is irrelevant?________________________________________________________

3. Where are more details necessary? ___________________________________________________
4. Is the opening effective? Why or why not? _____________________________________________
5. Is the close effective? Why or why not? ________________________________________________

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.6 Revising: Checking Content and Structure II

Key Information
When revising the structure of your writing, make sure that your writing is unified and coherent, that
the progression of ideas and details is logical, and that clear transitions are used where needed.
Revising Structure
Revise the following paragraph on the lines provided. Pay particular attention to the issues
mentioned above. In addition, make any other changes that you think would improve the
paragraph.
Model
I ts generally not a good idea to use slang terms in your writing. Many slang expressions are short-
lived. They are like some clothes. They soon go out of style. When Sherlock Holmes asked Dr.
Watson what his drawbacks were as an apartment mate, Watson answered, I keep a bull pup.
Teacher and critic Jacques Barzun thinks that even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle occasionally fell victim to
slang. It doesnt mean he had a pet. He was using 1880s army lingo for a bad temper. The origi-
nal readers of Sherlock Holmes probably had no difficulty with that expression. Today almost no one
knows what it means. Slang terms create images that jolt and distract the reader. Writers should
always aim to be as clear and brief as possible.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.7 Replacing Clichs, Jargon, and Sexist Language

Key Information
Clichs are stale expressions that your reader has heard many times before. Jargon is the language of
special groups. Sexist language reflects gender bias; it limits possibilities because it limits our think-
ing. Consider replacing fireman, mankind, and he with firefighter, humankind, and he or she.
Revising to Correct Clichs, Jargon, and Sexist Language

When clichs, jargon, and sexist language collide, the results can be hilarious. Consider the fol-
lowing paragraph.
Model
B eyond the shadow of a doubt, mankind should be green with envy at the leisure interface
enjoyed by a medieval serf. In todays modern world, the average working man has 126 days off
each year including holidays, sick days, and vacation time. We are all busy as bees the live-long day.
A medieval serf worked only an average of 180 days a year. Time after time, he spent the day with
his community or family, and enjoying his many holidays with state-of-the-art activities such as log
splitting. His little woman busied herself with womens work that was never done, until a day off
afforded her a chance to gossip or complete the proverbial stitch in time on her needlework.
Rewrite the paragraph to eliminate as many examples of clichs, jargon, and sexist language as
you can. Aim to make your finished paragraph four or five sentences long.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.8 Editing/Proofreading: Finalizing

Key Information
Editing entails fine-tuning of usage and sentence structure; proofreading entails correcting errors in
mechanics and spelling. When editing, check for subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, clear pro-
noun antecedents, correctly placed modifiers, and sentence fragments and run-ons. Keep a dictionary
handy, and use the standard proofreading symbols.
Editing and Proofreading

Using proofreaders marks, correct the errors in the paragraphs below. Follow the above guide-
lines as you check for one type of error at a time. Note that proper names are spelled correctly.
Model
For a long time, the place of garlic in cookery was eclipsed by its medicinal roll. A medieval
chronicler named boorde attests to poplarity in the French duchies. He credited garlic with clearing
the chest and killing parasights. Its role as a medicinel herb, however, extends far beyond Boordes
France, for example, consider some of its uses in Russian folk medicine.
One garlic preparation is reputed to cure nervous spasms and prevent siezures. Boiled in milk,
the nervous person is supposed to drink hot mixture of crushed garlic. Some people swear to
this day swear that a mixture of crushed garlic onions, barley, oats, roots, and honeycooked to the
consistency of very thick creamfight ageing. Others say that a potion of finely ground garlic in
lemin juice, fought obesity 1st, however, the mixture must have been left standing in a cheesecl
oth-covered jar. One wonders about causeand effect. Did the smell drive the dieter out of
the kitchen

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.9 Publishing/Presenting: Sharing Your Writing

Key Information
Presenting your finished work is a logical and satisfying way to bring the writing process to a close.
Whether you do so formally or informally depends on both your purpose and targeted audience.
Defining a Presentation Strategy

You are the campaign manager for a friend who is running for a class office. Your job is to
sell your candidate to the voters. Decide how best to advertise your candidate (through an
ad? a flier? a poster? something else?). Assume that you can truthfully claim that your candi-
date is competent, involved in school affairs, and experienced in school government. Add any
other qualifications or appropriate details. Then, on the lines provided below, complete the
memo outlining your publicity campaign. Choose, describe, and defend your mode of presen-
tation (format), theme (platform, motto), and supporting graphics. Include or attach rough
sketches for any accompanying illustrations or graphics.
Format: ___________________________________________________________________________
Theme: ___________________________________________________________________________
Illustrations/Graphics: _______________________________________________________________

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
2.10 Analyzing Tone

Key Information
Tone conveys the writers attitudes and feelings toward the subject or audience. Tone can be conveyed
through the connotations of words and through association, imagery, and comparison. The connota-
tion of a word is what the word suggests or implies. Its dictionary meaning is called denotation. For
example, slender, thin, and skinny might be applied to the same person but would show very different
attitudes toward that persons appearance.
A. Using Connotation to Convey Tone

Read the paragraph below, and decide how the words in italics suggest the writers attitude
toward the subject (the car) and the audience (potential car buyers). Then rewrite the para-
graph on a separate sheet of paper, replacing the words in italics to make the paragraph suit-
able for describing an economy car for a practical, ecologically aware consumer.
Model
T he Optiva is the first sporty two-seater designed to satisfy the requirements of discriminating dri-
vers. From the moment you open the door, the sumptuous upholstery and fully appointed con-
trol panel convey a timeless elegance that announces you as a member of an elite group of new car
ownersthose who demand the very best.
B. Analyzing Tone in Literature

The opening lines of a poem about a gull appear below. Read them carefully, and then write
what you think the poets attitude toward the bird is. Cite the specific words and details that
convey that attitude.
Literature Model
That gull, for instance,

a clam in his straw beak
like a growth, or a black snout
see how he loops it in toward shore
& with a rough
egg-breaking guess, drops it
then swoops to gargle the soft stuff.
John Malcolm Brinnin, That Gull

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
3.1 Organizing Descriptions I

Key Information
Sensory detailsthose appealing to sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touchcreate vivid descriptions.
Depending on the effect you want to create, organize these details by using spatial order, order of
importance, or order of impression.
Organizing Sensory Descriptions

For each of the passages below, identify the type or types of sensory details used: sight, hear-
ing, smell, taste, or touch. Then identify the organizing technique used: spatial order, order of
importance, or order of impression.
Literature Model 1
It was a warmth on his back, like a large hand laid firmly there, that made him raise his head. Way
up on the slope the gray farmhouse was struck by the sun. While his head had been bent the land
had grown bright around him.
Gina Berriault, The Stone Boy
Type(s) of sensory details:_____________________________________________________________

Organizing technique:________________________________________________________________
Literature Model 2
F or a day and a night the great flakes drove down on us, swirling and swooping in the wind, blot-
ting out the summit, the shoulder, everything beyond the tiny white-walled radius of our tents.
Hour after hour we lay in our sleeping bags, stirring only to eat or to secure the straining rope and
canvas. Our feet froze under their thick layers of wool and rawhide. Our heads and bodies
throbbed with a dull nameless aching, and time crept over our numbed minds like a glacier.
James Ramsey Ullman, Top Man

Literature Model 3
T he garden was in the rear, to the south, surrounded by an ancient wall of bulging rose-colored
brick, which was cloaked in ivy and Virginia creeper. In the center there was a stone fountain
and a lily pool, where two enormous indolent carp lived.
J. R. Salamanca, A Sea Change


Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
3.1 Organizing Descriptions II

Key Information
Topic sentences may be placed at the beginning of paragraphs to establish mood or prepare readers
for what is to follow. Topic sentences may be placed at the end of paragraphs to add emphasis or
keep readers in suspense. When the topic and purpose of a paragraph are clear from the content,
the topic sentence may be implied.
Identifying Topic Sentences

If the topic sentence in each of the passages below is stated, underline it. If the topic sentence is
implied, write a sentence on the line below the passage that could serve as the topic sentence.
Literature Model 1
H e sat back so that the firelight lay ruddy on his knees and his fine, strong, small hands and the
silver tankard he held, but left his face in shadow: a dark face always shadowed by the thick
lowgrowing hair and heavy brows and lashes, and by a somber blandness of expression. Can one
read a cats face, a seals, an otters? Some Gethenians, I thought, are like such animals, with deep
bright eyes that do not change expression when you speak.
Ursula K. Le Guin, The Left Hand of Darkness
Literature Model 2
I t was still dark when he awakened. . . . He moved stiffly and shivered in the morning air. The
camp still slept. Tom stood up and looked over the side of the truck. The eastern mountains were
blue-black, and as he watched, the light stood up faintly behind them, colored at the mountain
rims with a washed red, then growing colder, grayer, darker as it went up overhead, until at a place
near the western horizon it merged with pure night. Down in the valley the earth was the lavender-
gray of dawn.
John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath
Literature Model 3
T he nature of the countryside changed slowly as we walked north, away from the sea. The
thorned stalksI guess you could call them treescame in fewer numbers but were bigger
around and less brittle; at the base of each was a tangled mass of vine with the same blue-green
color, which spread out in a flattened cone some ten meters in diameter. There was a delicate green
flower the size of a mans head near the top of each tree.
Joe Haldeman, The Forever War

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
3.2 Writing a Unified and Coherent Description

Key Information
Make your descriptive writing unified by eliminating details that do not reinforce the main idea of the
piece. To make your description coherent, create a smooth flow from one detail to the next by using
transitional words and phrases.
A. Identifying Irrelevant Details

Identify the main idea in the paragraph below, and underline it. Then draw a line through the
details that do not support the main idea.
(1) This year I decided it would be a good idea to get involved in school activities. (2) I joined
several after-school clubs, including the Spanish Club, Students Against Drunk Driving, and the
Literary Club. (3) There are many after-school activities in which a student can participate outside of
school. (4) A friend of mine encouraged me to sign up with him for try-outs for freshman soccer. (5) I
made the team and played as a forward in the games weve had so far. (6) Most of my teammates
have an after-school job, too. (7) Getting involved in school activities is a wonderful way to make
friends. (8) My friend Gary makes friends easily. (9) Being with a small group that shares the same
interests has made it easier for me to open up and be myself with new people. (10) My confidence
is growing, and Im overcoming some of my shyness at meeting new people. (11) My good idea was
a great idea!
B. Using Transitional Words

In Part A you eliminated extraneous details from the paragraph above. Now add transitions
to help the writing flow smoothly from one idea to the next. In the appropriate space below,
write the transitional word or phrase you would use before each of the sentences indicated
by number.
Select from the transitions below, or use those of your own choosing.

After a while Inside Therefore
As it turned out Next Whats more
Besides Suddenly
Finally Then
Sentence 2 _________________________________________________________________________
Sentence 4 _________________________________________________________________________
Sentence 10 ________________________________________________________________________
Sentence 11 ________________________________________________________________________

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
3.3 Using Figurative Language

Key Information
Figures of speech can make your descriptive writing more vivid and effective. A simile associates
the qualities of one thing with the qualities of another. The comparison is made by using the word like
or as:
The pounding waves were like drumsticks beating upon the beach.
A metaphor equates or identifies one thing with another. The comparison is made directly, without
the use of the word like or as:
The pounding waves were drumsticks upon the beach.
Personification attributes human characteristics to animals, objects, or ideas:
The undertow grabbed my legs and pulled me under.
A. Creating Figures of Speech

Complete each of the following sentences by using a figure of speech. Then indicate whether
you have used a simile, a metaphor, or personification.
1. The smog covering the city was as thick as _____________________________________________
2. The clouds moving through the sky were _____________________________________________
3. The child raced through the house like a ______________________________________________
4. The fear I experienced as I entered the school for the first time was _________________________
5. With a great shudder, the old ship hit her keel on the reef and _____________________________
B. Developing Figurative Images

Develop the following metaphor and simile by adding one or two more sentences to each pair
of sentences below.
1. The ballerinas floated smoothly like butterflies across the stage. Draped in sheer colors,
their wings fluttered rhythmically at their sides.
2. The students awaiting the return of their test papers were like the defendants in a court-
room. The teacher was both judge and jury.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
3.4 Using Analogies

Key Information
An analogy is an extended, point-by-point comparison between two things that are usually consid-
ered dissimilar but that share some common characteristics. To create successful analogies, find at
least three similarities in the ideas you are comparing and use specific details and examples, as well as
similes and metaphors, to support your comparisons. Then write a topic sentence that establishes the
basis of the comparison. Finally, decide on a logical order for the points of the analogy, and use transi-
tions to link them smoothly and clearly.
A. Understanding Analogies
Read the following famous analogy, and answer the questions below.
Literature Model
All the worlds a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. . . .
William Shakespeare, As You Like It
1. What two ideas are being compared in the analogy? _____________________________________
2. To what are the exits of plays being compared? The entrances of plays? _______________________
3. What insight or conclusion about life is expressed in this analogy? __________________________

B. Developing an Analogy
Shakespeare develops his analogy further by describing the seven ages: infant, schoolboy,
romantic suitor, soldier, professional, retiree, and very elderly person. Choose three of these
ages or roles that a person plays, and use the chart to characterize them in terms of the
analogy. For example, Shakespeare uses whining, satchel, and creeping like a snail unwillingly
to school to describe the schoolboy. Make up your own details for each age. Then use a
separate sheet of paper to write a paragraph in which you develop the entire analogy.
Age or Role Costume Action or Speech Prop

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
3.5 Analyzing Imagery in Descriptive Writing

Key Information
Imagery is a broad term referring to language that appeals to the senses. To help you understand
how a writer uses imagery to express ideas and create emotional effect, ask the following questions
about each image: What type of image is it? What comparison or other meaning is suggested by the
image? How does the image relate to other images in the piece? What is the authors purpose in
choosing these images?
Analyzing Imagery
Read the following poem carefully. Find three important images in the poem: the overall image
and those in the last two lines. For each image, answer the questions in the Key Information
above. You may wish to treat several aspects of the first image separately. Then, on a separate
sheet of paper, write a paragraph analyzing the imagery in the poem.
Literature Model
now he takes his mark
at the farthest end of the runway
looking straight ahead, eager, intense
with his sharp eyes shining
he takes a deep, deep breath

with his powerful lungs
expanding his massive chest
his burning heart beating like thunders
then . . . after a few . . . tense moments . . . of pondering

he roars at his utmost
and slowly begins to jog
kicking the dark earth hard

and now he begins to run
kicking the dark earth harder
then he dashes, dashes like mad, like mad
howling, shouting, screaming, and roaring
then with a most violent kick

he shakes off the earths pull
softly lifting himself into the air
soaring higher and higher and higher still
piercing the sea of clouds
up into the chandelier of stars
Naoshi Koriyama, Jetliner

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
4.1 Setting the Narrative Landscape

Key Information
Setting is often of primary importance in a narrative. Elements of setting include place, weather, time
of day, and historical period. To develop a setting that creates a mood, writers use words and images
to evoke a particular response from the reader.
Creating a Mood Through Setting

Below are the beginnings of two identical paragraphs describing a setting. Create two different
moods in each paragraph by substituting various adjectives and adverbs from the box or by
using words of your own choice. Begin by naming the mood you wish to evoke on the lines
provided. You will also have to supply any missing nouns or verbs. Write your finished para-
graphs on a separate sheet of paper.
Suggested Word Choices

aromatic brightly damp brittle
tangled candlelit coldly musty
slowly creaky fragrant dim
worn dull firelit silently
flickering flowering glaring golden
glistening tarnished shimmering moldy
gray green numbing limp
velvety softly plush satiny
pale pink silvery putrid
rough sunlit shadowy ragged
brilliant crimson leafy rough

Paragraph A
Mood ____________________________________________________________________________
The room was adjective and adjective, reflecting the architecture of a(n) adjective era. The
adjective windows on the adjective wall opened onto a(n) adjective noun. From my position
on the noun, the noun verb adverb. I saw a knob of the adjective door turn adverb. The door
verb just wide enough to admit a(n) adjective child wearing a(n) adjective noun and carrying
a(n) adjective noun.
Paragraph B
Mood ____________________________________________________________________________
The room was adjective and adjective, reflecting the architecture of a(n) adjective era. The
adjective windows on the adjective wall opened onto a(n) adjective noun. From my position
on the noun, the noun verb adverb. I saw a knob of the adjective door turn adverb. The door
verb just wide enough to admit a(n) adjective child wearing a(n) adjective noun and carrying
a(n) adjective noun.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
4.2 Ordering Time in a Narrative

Key Information
In a strictly chronological narrative, events are introduced as they occur in time. In a flashback, the
narrative is interrupted by earlier events. Fantasies, dreams, and flash-forwards provide knowledge of
future events.
Working with Narrative Order

Follow each step below to create your own chronological flashback or flash-forward narrative.
Step 1 List events that occurred between the ringing of your alarm this morning and the bell
signaling the end of your first class.
Step 2 Revise your list of events to include your thoughts or things you observed during the
same time period.
Step 3 Circle the three or four items in your revised list that for some reason seem most
significant.
Step 4 On a separate sheet of paper, write the events above as a flashback or flash-forward
narrative. Use dialogue if it suits your purpose.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
4.3 Building Narrative Suspense

Key Information
Suspense grabs and keeps the readers attention. You create suspense by using devices such as an
eerie setting, slowing down time at a crucial moment, precise description, flashbacks, changes of
scene, withholding information, and foreshadowing.
Creating a Suspenseful Narrative

Follow each step below to create your own suspenseful narrative.
Step 1 Choose a suspenseful situation you have experienced lately, such as waiting to learn
whether you made the cast of the school play, taking your drivers license test, or
applying for a summer job.
Step 2 Make an outline of your story in the order in which you will present your narrative.
Step 3 Circle the most suspenseful part of your outline. List which device you think will
heighten the suspense.
Step 4 On a separate sheet of paper, write a draft of your suspenseful narrative using your
outline. Read your draft aloud to make sure that your device for heightening suspense
does not lose your reader or make the narrative choppy. Finally, revise your draft into
a smooth, suspenseful narrative.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
4.4 Using Point of View

Key Information
Choice of narrator is closely linked to point of view. A first-person narrator is a character within the
story, allowing the reader to experience the story as the character is experiencing it. A third-person
narrator is not a character in the story. An omniscient third-person narrator knows what each charac-
ter is thinking. A limited third-person narrator knows only what a chosen character is thinking.
Understanding Point of View

Read the passage below, focusing on the relationship between the observations and the point
of view. Then answer the questions that follow the model.
Literature Model
S he was a dull-looking country girl but interesting enough to be worthy of my study. I noticed her
unoiled hair dressed in a tight butterfly knot. Her chapped cheeks had a slightly disagreeable,
but ruddy glow as though she had been rubbing them with her hands. In her lap, over which lay a
light green muffler dangling from her neck, lay a large bundle. Her coarse, cold hands, clamped
tightly over the bundle, clutched a third-class ticket as though it were her last link with life itself.
Her features, coarse in themselves, and her clothes, lacking in taste, didnt appeal much to me. She
was apparently stupid as wellcouldnt tell a second- from a third-class coach.
Ryunosuke Akutagawa, The Tangerines
1. Who is the narrator? ______________________________________________________________

2. Is the narrator all-knowing or not? ___________________________________________________
3. What is the point of view of the narrator? _____________________________________________
4. Characterize the narrator in not more than three words. __________________________________
5. At the end of this story, the narrator sees that the girls large bundle contains tangerines, which she
throws to her little brothers as she leaves the station. The narrator suddenly realizes that despite her
simplicity the girls life has more meaning than his. Keeping this realization in mind, do you think
the story would have been as effective if it had been told in the third person or from the point of
view of the girl? Explain your answer.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
4.5 Writing a Short-Short Story

Key Information
Short-short stories should establish conflict immediately, present characters or a situation that is
instantly recognizable, and resolve the conflict with a punch (a surprise ending, a shiver of fear, a
sudden recognition or insight). Often in short-short stories, one or two elements are suggested, the
plot is extremely concentrated, and characters are types or symbols.
Writing a Short-Short Story

Follow the directions below for writing a short-short story.
1. Build backward from the punch line.
Proposed punch line:______________________________________________________________
2. Identify the conflict: ______________________________________________________________
3. Name the main character(s): ________________________________________________________

4. Decide on a point of view: _________________________________________________________
5. On a separate sheet of paper, write your first draft. Do not be afraid to include too many
details. Review your draft, circling pertinent and significant details.
6. Revise your draft, keeping the details that help tell the story and paring down distracting
details.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
4.6 Analyzing a Narrative for Film Adaptation

Key Information
To analyze a novel or short story for a film adaptation, think about what elements you like most. The
storys plot, setting, and characters determine how you tell the tale on film.
A. Planning a Film Adaptation

Imagine that you have been asked to consider turning a horror story by H. P. Lovecraft into a
film. Read the opening of the story below, and answer the questions that follow.
Literature Model
W est of Arkham the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep woods that no ax has ever
cut. There are dark narrow glens where the trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets
trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight. On the gentler slopes there are farms,
ancient and rocky, with squat, moss-coated cottages brooding eternally over old New England
secrets in the lee of great ledges; but these are all vacant now, the wide chimneys crumbling, and
the shingled sides bulging perilously beneath low gambrel roofs.
The old folk have gone away, and the foreigners do not like to live there. . . . It is not because
of anything that can be seen or heard or handled, but because of something that is imagined. The
place is not good for the imagination, and does not bring restful dreams at night. It must be this
which keeps the foreigners away, for old Ammi Pierce has never told them of anything he recalls
from the strange days. Ammi . . . is the only one who still remains. . . .
H. P. Lovecraft, The Color Out of Space
1. What is the point of view? How does it influence the setting?
2. How do you imagine Ammi Pierces appearance?

3. What details of this part of the story would you try to translate into film?
4. What sound effects should be added?
B. Writing a Screenplay
Now, on a separate sheet of paper, write a screenplay for the above scene. For guidance, use
your answers from the above questions. The rewrite is already started for you.
The credits open over a long shot of a small town in western New England. The opening shot is
an aerial shot of mountains where jutting gray granite is covered by wild-looking trees. The camera
pans over the landscape to pick out various features. . . .

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
5.1 Writing an Expository Essay

Key Information
Expository writing informs an audience by presenting information and explaining ideas. Depending
on your subject matter, purpose, and audience, you may want to use one or a combination of these
kinds of expository writing:
Kinds of Expository Writing

Explaining a process: Explains a sequence of events
Showing cause-and-effect relationship: Explains how one event or action causes other
things to happen
Dividing and classifying: Divides a topic into categories
Defining: Explains the meaning of a term or an idea
Comparing and contrasting: Explains by pointing out similarities and differences between items
A. Identifying Expository Writing Methods

Each of the following is the thesis statement from an expository essay. On the line beneath
each item, write the kind of expository writing the writer is most likely using.
1. Walking and running are similar forms of exercise, yet walkers and runners often have dif-
ferent objectives.
2. The pollution of the river is the result of careless, and often deliberate, actions.
3. The four basic types of food stores include conventional supermarkets, discount warehouse
food stores, limited-assortment stores, and convenience stores.

4. By definition, the Truth in Lending Act requires a lender to disclose important facts about a
loan before a borrower signs a legal document.
B. Using Expository Writing Methods

Examine the subject and writing method listed in each item. Then write a one-sentence thesis
statement that could express the main idea of the essay.
1. Subject: changing a tire Method: explaining a process
2. Subject: types of school activities Method: dividing and classifying

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
5.2 Writing Instructions

Key Information
When writing instructions, make sure you list the steps in chronological order. Use transitional words
to highlight the progression of steps.
Transitional Words for Chronology

after during first next
at first earlier last now
before finally later second
A. Putting Instructions in Order

Imagine that your science teacher has asked you to explain the following experiment to your
classmates. Begin by putting the instructions in chronological order, labeling the items 18.
______ Place a drop of water on a clean slide.
______ Use the jar to collect pond water from the bucket in the back of the room.
______ Place a cover slip on the drop of water that contains the fibers.
______ Use reference books in the library to help identify the living things in your sketches.
______ Add to the drop of water several fibers from a piece of cotton. The fibers will help to
slow down the living things so that they can be more easily observed.
______ Examine the slide under a microscope.
______ Sketch the living things that you see.
______ Make sure that you have a small jar, a clean slide, a piece of cotton, a microscope, a
sheet of paper, and a pencil.
B. Drafting Instructions
Organize the information above into a two-paragraph essay entitled How to Examine Living
Things. Be sure to begin with a thesis statement that explains what the essay will be about,
and use transitional words to mark the progression of steps. Use a separate sheet of paper if
necessary.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
5.3 Explaining Causal Relationships

Key Information
Writing based on cause and effect is organized to emphasize how one event or condition leads to
another. Transitional words are used to provide a smooth progression of events.
Transitional Words for Cause and Effect

because if . . . then as a result therefore
leads to thus due to consequently
A. Identifying Cause-and-Effect Relationships

Underline the transitional words as you read the paragraph below. Then answer the questions
that follow.
Model
I n 1066 William the Conqueror invaded England from Normandy, a province in northern France.
Because the French-speaking Normans conquered England, French became the language of the
aristocracy. The British lower classes, however, continued to use their native language, which has
become known as Old English. Therefore, British servants in aristocratic households referred to
the livestock with Old English words such as cu (cow), cealf (calf), and sceap (sheep). At
the other end of the social scale, aristocrats, who encountered their livestock chiefly at the dinner
table in the form of stews and roasts, used French words such as boeuf (beef), veel (veal),
and moton (mutton) to refer to the meat from these animals. Due to the mingling of French
and English, the English language eventually adopted many French words. As a result, centuries
later, we now use the French-based words beef, veal, and mutton to refer to the flesh of certain
animals at the same time that we use the English-based cow, calf, and sheep to designate the
living animals.

1. Why were Old English words used to refer to livestock?
2. Why were French-based words used to refer to the meat of these animals?
B. Writing About Causal Relationships

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph of cause and effect. Use one of the topics below
or one of your own choosing. Mention at least three related causes and their effects.
senior slump a musical groups success
teenage stress spring fever

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
5.4 Explaining by Using an Analogy

Key Information
An analogy is a kind of comparison. Rather than pointing out one similarity between the two things
being compared, an analogy shows several similarities. Analogies use transitional words to make the
writing coherent.
Transitional Words
so it is like similar to just as likewise
A. Understanding Analogies
Write one sentence to expand the analogy stated in each item.
1. To the eager but naive newcomer, the city appears colorful, bustling, and magical, just like a
huge carnival.
2. She maneuvered her bicycle through the crowded playground like a taxi driver in rush-
hour traffic.
B. Creating an Analogy
Use the information below to create an analogy that compares taking a test with running a
marathon. Make sure you begin your analogy with a topic sentence that states what youre
comparing. Then use transitional words to make sure your reader sees the comparison
youre making.
Taking a Test Running a Marathon
1. Requires studying/preparation 1. Requires advanced training/preparation
2. It is a solitary event. 2. It is a one-person sport.
3. Performance level depends on you 3. Performance level depends on you (your
(your mind). body).

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
5.5 Using Visuals That Speak

Key Information
Visuals are important for helping your readers grasp facts or ideas. Visuals can often convey in a
glance the essence of an idea that might take several paragraphs to express in words. Graphs, charts,
maps, time lines, diagrams, or slides may all be used to support information in an essay.
A. Interpreting Information on a Graph

Use the information shown in the graph to complete the exercise below. For each item write
the letter of the correct answer in the space provided.
_____ 1. The graph to the right would be more useful in A Nation Growing Older
an essay discussing U.S. Population, Age 65 and Older
a. the growth of the total U.S. population as a in millions
result of increased immigration. 40
b. the increase in the number of elderly people
in the United States.
_____ 2. If you had to write an essay using this graph,
30
the objective of your essay might be
a. to explain why some Americans fear that
social security is facing bankruptcy.
b. to explain why Americans are having fewer
20
children.
_____ 3. One cause of the trend shown in the graph
might be
a. improved medical practices. 10
b. more retirement homes.
_____ 4. The graph to the right might be used to
support the idea that
0

a. there have never been as many people over 1960 1980 1995 2010
the age of 65 living in the United States as (Projected)
there are now.
b. The U.S. population over the age of 65 is
diminishing.
B. Using a Visual to Enhance Your Essay

Imagine that you must write an essay using the graph above as a visual tool. On the lines
below, write a thesis statement that would be appropriate for an essay in which a graph appears
showing the aging of the U.S. population.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
5.6 Explaining Problems, Proposing Solutions

Key Information
Sometimes the most difficult part of proposing a solution is identifying and limiting the problem. The
first step is to define what the problem is. Look at the general problem, narrow your scope, and iden-
tify a specific problem that you will try to solve. Then think of as many solutions to the problem as you
can. Evaluate each solution until you have found one that works.
Identifying Problems and Solutions

Examine the graphic organizer below. Then use the information to complete the following
exercises.
Specific Problem: How to Clean Up Toxic Waste Sites
Possible Solutions Evaluation of Possible Solutions

Dumpers should pay for the cleanup. Wont be able to locate all dumpers;
older waste sites dont have any records.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Oil and chemical companies will charge higher
should pay for the cleanup, using monies prices to make up for the tax; consumers will
collected through a special tax on oil and bear the burden.
chemical companies.
The federal budget deficit will limit the
Use general tax dollars.
amount of work that the government can do.
1. If you were to write an essay using only the information in the graphic organizer, would
your essay focus on the problem or on the solutions? Explain.
2. Write a thesis statement for an essay on how to clean up toxic waste sites.
3. Write a paragraph in which you explain which solution or combination of solutions you
think is best, or propose another solution not given in the graphic organizer. Use facts or
statistics to support your choice.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
5.7 Writing an Analysis I

Key Information
When you are analyzing two different texts, begin by thinking about each text independently. Then
look at one from the perspective of the other. Ask questions and brainstorm to formulate possible
strategies. Then formulate a thesis statementa sentence that states the major idea you will use to
develop your analysis. Support your thesis statement with specific facts, examples, and solid reasoning.
Analyzing One Text from the Perspective of Another

The excerpts below offer two different perspectives on the American colonies seeking
independence from Britain. The first excerpt is from Thomas Paines Common Sense, written
in January 1776. The second excerpt, written the same year, is from a pamphlet called The
True Interest of America, Impartially Stated. Read each excerpt. Then answer the questions
that follow.
Literature Model 1
T he phrase parent or mother country hath been . . . adopted by the king . . . [to trick us into obe-
dience]. Europe, and not England, is the parent country of America. This new world hath been
the asylum for persecuted lovers of civil and religious liberty from every part of Europe. Hither have
they fled, not from the tender embraces of a mother, but from the cruelty of a monster; and it is so
far true of England, that the same tyranny which drove the first emigrants from home, pursues their
descendants still.
Thomas Paine, Common Sense
Literature Model 2
T orrents of blood would be spilt, and thousands reduced to beggary and wretchedness. This
melancholy contest [war] would last till one side conquered. Supposing Britain to be victorious,
however high my opinion is of British Generosity, I should be exceedingly sorry to receive terms

from her in the haughty tone of a conqueror. Or supposing [that she lost] . . . who can say in that
case, what [Britain would do]? For my part, I should not be the least surprised if . . . she would
parcel out this continent to the different European powers. Canada might be restored to France,
Florida to Spain. . . .
The True Interest of America, Impartially Stated
1. What is Thomas Paines perspective regarding the American colonies seeking

independence?
2. What is the perspective in the second excerpt?
3. On a separate sheet of paper, write a thesis statement for an essay analyzing the Loyalists
perspective from the perspective of Thomas Paine.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
5.7 Writing an Analysis II

Key Information
Analysis occurs anytime you look at a subject closely from a particular perspective and interpret what
you see. Often when you are asked to analyze a subject or a text, you will be given a perspective on
which to base your analysis. In planning your analysis, compose a thesis statement that clearly states
the main idea of your essay. Often, limiting your topic and focus in this way can be one of the most
difficult parts of writing the analysis. Use your thesis statement to guide your choice of supporting
details. Choose only those details that support your thesis statement.
A. Developing a Perspective
Read the following excerpt from the book Gifts of Passage by Santha Rama Rau. In the excerpt
Rau recalls her experiences at a school for English and Indian children in India. On a separate
sheet of paper, write a paragraph analyzing the school from Premilas perspective. What kind of
emotional impact did Premilas first day of school have on her?
Literature Model
A t the Anglo-Indian day school in Zorinabad to which my sister and I were sent when she was
eight and I was five and a half, they changed our names. On the first day of school, a hot,
windless morning of a north Indian September, we stood in the headmistresss study and she said,
Now youre the new girls. What are your names?
My sister answered for us. I am Premila, and shenodding in my directionis Santha.
The headmistress had been in India, I suppose, fifteen years or so, but she still smiled at her helpless
inability to cope with Indian names. Her rimless half-glasses glittered, and the precarious bun on the
top of her head trembled as she shook her head. Oh, my dears, those are much too hard for me.
Suppose we give you pretty English names. Wouldnt that be more jolly? Lets see, nowPamela
for you, I think. She shrugged in a baffled way at my sister. Thats as close as I can get. And for
you, she said to me, how about Cynthia? Isnt that nice?
My sister was always less easily intimidated than I was, and while she kept a stubborn silence, I
said, Thank you, in a very tiny voice. . . .
That first day at school is still, when I think of it, a remarkable one. At that age, if ones name is
changed, one develops a curious form of dual personality. I remember having a certain detached
and disbelieving concern in the actions of Cynthia, but certainly no responsibility. Accordingly, I
followed the thin, erect back of the headmistress down the veranda [porch] to my classroom feel-
ing, at most, a passing interest in what was going to happen to me in this strange, new atmos-
phere of School. . . .
Santha Rama Rau, Gifts of Passage
B. Putting Your Perspective in Writing

On a separate sheet of paper, write a thesis statement that clearly states the main idea of an
essay analyzing the emotional impact on Santha of her first day of school. Then write the essay,
including details from the excerpt that support your thesis statement.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
5.8 Writing a Business Letter

Key Information
A business letter is a formal letter written to communicate information or to request action. All busi-
ness letters have one universal purpose: to get results. When you write an opinion letter, one type of a
business letter, remember to state your viewpoint briefly and clearly, and provide accurate factual
information to support your opinion. Summarize your main points and, if possible, offer a solution.
Setting Up a Business Letter

Write a business letter using one of the suggested topics below. If you need more room, use a
separate sheet of paper. Remember to include your full name and address and to use the
correct titles of respect.
1. An editorial has appeared in your local newspaper opposing the construction of a video
game arcade in your community. Write a letter to the editor saying whether or not you
think the video game arcade should be built. Give reasons to support your opinion.
2. Your state senator favors a proposal by the mass transit authority to extend a subway line
into your town. Write your senator a letter expressing your views on the proposed project.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
5.9 Comparing and Contrasting Opinions

Key Information
To compare and contrast opinions is to see how opinions are alike and different. When you compare
and contrast, you present both sides of an argument, discussing the merits and drawbacks of both
viewpoints.
Recognizing Opinions
The excerpts below give examples of the pros and cons of censorship of the press during
wartime. The first excerpt gives the Defense Departments views on the decision to restrict cov-
erage of Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The second excerpt gives Walter Cronkites views as a
seasoned journalist and television newscaster. He voices his concern about the militarys
attempt to control the news coverage of Operation Desert Storm.
Literature Model 1
T he ground rules were not intended to prevent journalists from reporting on incidents that might
embarrass the military or to make military operations look sanitized. Instead, they were intended
simply and solely to prevent publication of details that could jeopardize a military operation or
endanger the lives of U.S. troops.
Some of the things that were not to be reported were:
Details of future operations;
Specific information about troop strengths or locations;
Specific information on missing or downed airplanes or ships while search and rescue operations
were underway; and
Information on operational weaknesses that could be used against U.S. forces. . . .
Pete Williams, The Washington Post National Weekly Edition, March 2531, 1991
Literature Model 2
W ith an arrogance foreign to the democratic system, the U.S. military in Saudi Arabia is tram-
pling on the American peoples right to know. It is doing a disservice not only to the home
front but also to history and its own best interest. . . .
With a rational censorship system in place, the press should be free to go where it wants when
it wants, to see, hear and photograph what it believes is in the public interest. . . .
The greatest mistake of our military is its attempt to control coverage by assigning a few pool
reporters and photographers to be taken to locations determined by the military with supervising
officers monitoring all their conversations with the troops in the field. An American citizen is enti-
tled to ask: What are they trying to hide?
Walter Cronkite, Newsweek, February 25, 1991
On a separate sheet of paper, write a two-paragraph essay in which you discuss the points
of view given in each excerpt. Make sure you begin your essay with a thesis statement that
states the issue. Then present both sides of the argument. Conclude your essay with your
own opinion on the topic.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
5.10 Comparing and Contrasting Biographies

Key Information
Biographies reflect the writers perceptions and interpretations. When you compare biographies,
look for similarities. When you contrast biographies, look for differences and inconsistencies.
Comparing and Contrasting Biographies

Read the accounts below about Alexander Fleming, one of the research scientists credited with
the discovery of penicillin. Then answer the questions that follow.
Literature Model 1
I t was true, of course, that he was always a bit shy, but his shyness never came from lack of self-
confidence. He knew that he knew, and that gave him a great feeling of security. Certain inhibi-
tions, dating from far back, made it difficult for him to express himself freely about anything
involving the emotions. But where a practical problem was concerned, he would deal with it easily,
directly and unaffectedly. If one of his colleagues, even Wright, put forward some technical absur-
dity, he would cut it to pieces in fine style. But he found it impossible to talk about his feelings, and
those of others, when they were publicly displayed, made him uncomfortable. He was inclined to
think exaggerated and highfalutin what anybody less severe would have thought only human.
Andr Maurois, The Life of Sir Alexander Fleming, Discoverer of Penicillin
Literature Model 2
T here have been attempts to explain the puzzling metamorphosis of the man noted for his almost
painful shyness. . . . The simplest explanation is that Flemings shyness was more apparent than
realthat it was, in fact, another of the Fleming myths. . . . Fleming, if not shy in the accepted
sense, was certainly unusually reserved. As with anyone who does not or cannot express his feel-
ings, it is difficult to know what and how deep any such feeling may be. But people who habitually

repress strong emotions usually show signs of psychological strain. Fleming showed no such signs.
He seemed to lead a relaxed, enjoyable life, taking things as they came without friction or fuss, and
suffering none of the restless urges of ambition that make life uncomfortable.
Gwyn Macfarlane, Alexander Fleming, The Man and the Myth
1. What personality traits and characteristics of Flemings are found in both accounts?
2. On which personality trait of Flemings do the biographers differ? Explain.
3. On a separate sheet of paper, write a thesis statement for an essay comparing and
contrasting the two biographical accounts above.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
6.1 Writing a Persuasive Essay

Key Information
The purpose of a persuasive essay is to influence people to think or act in a certain way. You can
either give your readers a new perspective on a general topic or present a strong stand on a contro-
versial issue. If you present a stand on a controversial issue, be sure that the issue is worth discussing
and is one on which there are differing opinions.
A. Organizing an Issue
Select one of the issues listed below or another issue of your choice, and diagram the two sides
of the issue. Briefly state the issue in the circle, and list the arguments on each side of the issue
inside the boxes. Support each side of the issue with at least three reasons, facts, or examples.
All wetlands should be conserved.
Movie ratings should be eliminated.
All students should be required to become bilingual.
Yes No
Issue
B. Writing About an Issue

Use the chart above, and take a yes or no position on the issue. To clarify your position, draft a
thesis statement below summarizing your opinion.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
6.2 Analyzing and Using Evidence

Key Information
In order for an argument to be truly persuasive, it must contain strong evidence. A good writer, like a
good detective, presents evidence that falls into one or more of the following categories:
Firsthand observations accounts from original sources
Informed opinions judgments of experts or authorities
Examples instances that demonstrate a general point
Reasons underlying facts or causes
Facts statements that can be proven true
Statistics numerical facts
This evidence should be relevant, unbiased, up-to-date, complete, and verifiable. A touch of
humor, when appropriate, can add additional impact to your persuasive argument.
Identifying Evidence
On the lines provided, write which type of evidence supports each statement: firsthand obser-
vation, informed opinion, example, reason, fact, or statistics.
1. Seventy percent of people tested agreed that Cho-less Margarine tastes like butter.
2. The world population has increased over the last two hundred years.
3. To improve management practices, Universal Motors plans to cut fifty thousand workers
and close five plants in the United States.
4. Hostilities will escalate if no international peace-keeping team intervenes, warn local villagers.

5. Jonathan, a cashier at the local grocery store, has noticed an increase in business.
6. The environment has taken on great importance in local communities. The communities of
Southborough, Greentown, and Franklin now have curbside recycling.
7. I believe there is a strong correlation between learning to write and learning to read, said
Professor Monica Steinberg.
8. Many city residents are neglecting to vote in local elections. People living in that building
havent voted in over five years.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
6.3 Detecting Errors in Logic

Key Information
Logical fallacies are errors in reasoning. Many writing problems are simply the result of faulty thinking.
As you write persuasive arguments, try to avoid these common logical fallacies: stereotyping, false
analogy, loaded words, overgeneralization, and oversimplification.
A. Identifying Fallacies
Identify the error in reasoning in each statement below. Write S for stereotyping, FA for false
analogy, LW for loaded words, OG for overgeneralization, or OS for oversimplification.
_____ 1. He can afford it; all actors are wealthy.

_____ 2. A government is like an army; just as soldiers must always obey their generals, so
civil servants must always obey their superiors.
_____ 3. When reporters tried to ask her about the court case, she did not answer their calls.
Obviously, she has something to hide.
_____ 4. The two most popular kids in the class loved the show. You will, too.
_____ 5. Jamie didnt do well on the test. Because of his after-school job, Ill bet he didnt
have any time to study.
_____ 6. How could they have failed to listen to the young girls heart-wrenching story?
B. Revising Errors in Logic

Revise the following statement to remove errors in stereotyping and oversimplification. Write a
new statement on the lines below. Avoid loaded words in your new paragraph.
Model
A nyone who listens to rock music blares it on city streets. Rock music is earsplitting at such high
volume. Since this racket causes noise pollution, there should be a law against such uproar.
Banning people from playing loud rock music will return a serene environment to our city.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
6.4 Using Inductive and Deductive Reasoning I

Key Information
Logical reasoning falls into two major categories: inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning. When
reasoning inductively, begin with a series of facts or a representative sample, identify a connection,
and reach a sensible conclusion. When reasoning deductively, begin with a generalization, identify a
related fact, and draw a related conclusion.
Identifying the Reasoning

Identify the reasoning used in each argument below. Write I for inductive and D for deductive
reasoning on the lines provided.
_____ 1. The repair shop has fixed ten drafty convertibles in the past month. Convertibles
can be drafty cars.
_____ 2. All minivans have four doors. We have a minivan. Therefore, our minivan has four
doors.
_____ 3. The first time Mark took a cab ride, the driver got lost. The second time Mark took
a cab ride, his cab nearly collided with another car. It is likely Mark will not look
forward to his third cab ride.
_____ 4. Penny and Maximilian charge up to the limit on their credit card by the first week
of every month. Since it is the end of the month, they will not be able to charge the
bike that is on sale today.
_____ 5. Everyone who lives on Maple Avenue supports the recycling bill. The Adams family
lives on Maple Avenue. The Adams family supports the recycling bill.
_____ 6. All musicians love music. Buck Mega is a musician. Therefore, Buck loves music.
_____ 7. The per pupil cost of education is higher for a high school student than for an ele-

mentary school student. Next year enrollment will be greater in the local high
school than in the elementary school. Therefore the high school budget should be
more than the elementary school budget next year.
_____ 8. Simon likes dogs much better than cats. Rose is a dog. Fluffy is a cat. Therefore,
Simon probably likes Rose better than Fluffy.
_____ 9. Sals corner store sells holiday cards for 50 percent off on December 26th. The
Almeidas bought holiday cards at Sals on December 26th. They must have saved
50 percent on their cards.
_____ 10. A diet high in fat and lack of exercise are two risk factors for heart disease. David
eats many fatty foods and never exercises. Therefore, David may be at risk for heart
disease.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
6.4 Using Inductive and Deductive Reasoning II

Key Information
To evaluate inductive arguments, decide whether the specific evidence given is true and whether it
leads to a valid generalization (conclusion). To evaluate deductive arguments, evaluate the validity of
each premise to determine whether the conclusion is true.
A. Evaluating Inductive and Deductive Arguments

Read the model below. Then answer the questions that follow.
Model
(1) Let me put it this way, said the trooper, Ive never yet unbuckled a seat belt from a
corpse. (2) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would agree with the troopers
statement. (3) Their statistics show that in 1985 motor vehicle accidents were responsible for the
death of 45,901 Americans. (4) Another 3,588 accident victims would have been added to those
statistics if they hadnt buckled up. (5) The following year even more seat belt users survived motor
vehicle accidents. The total number was 6,917. (6) In 1987 that number rose to 10,938; in 1988
it rose again to 15,511. (7) As more states adopt mandatory seat belt laws and more travelers
heed those laws, the number of lives saved increases. (8) If every state were to adopt a mandatory
seat belt law and every traveler used a seat belt, the number of lives saved annually would be
the highest ever recorded.
_____ 1. Does this model use an inductive or deductive argument?

_____ 2. Which sentence in the model serves as a conclusion?
_____ 3. Which sentences in the model include facts that support the conclusion?
4. Give at least one reason why sentence 3 is not valid support for the conclusion.
B. Concluding the Argument

For each deductive argument, write a conclusion that will make the argument both valid and
true.
1. Each senior must wear a cap and gown on the last day of classes. Only seniors are allowed
to wear caps and gowns. Juan Lopez is wearing a cap and gown. Therefore,
2. All shuttle flights leave every hour on the hour. The last shuttle flight left at 2:00 P.M.
Therefore, the next shuttle flight
3. Each student must accumulate at least 64 credits in order to graduate. Lin has accumulated
68 credits. Therefore,
4. To become an astronaut, a person must go through intensive training. Leon is an astronaut.

Therefore,

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
6.5 Writing a Satirical Essay

Key Information
Satire is a form of persuasion that uses humor to criticize and change society. A satirist may attack
anything large or small, such as a human foible, a social practice, or an institution. A satirists
weapons include irony, exaggeration, and understatement.
Irony Saying the opposite of what you mean

Exaggeration Overstating for effect
Understatement Representing something as less important than it really is
Understanding Satire
Read the model below. Then answer the questions that follow.
Literature Model
W hether the father is trying to shave or nap or work, small children come to him like moths to
a flame.
Now look, he says, I want you to stop that. I want you to go outside because Daddy is
working. Ive bought you three-and-a-half-million dollars worth of toys and dolls. You even have a
beauty parlor for the dolls, which you begged me to buy because it was the only thing you really
wantedexcept, of course, the motorbike. It isnt that I dont love you. Its just that Daddy doesnt
have time for you to rearrange his desk right now. . . . Why dont you take Barbie to the beauty
parlor?
I guess the real reason that my wife and I had children is the same reason that Napoleon had
for invading Russia: It seemed like a good idea at the time. Since then, however, Ive had some
doubts, primarily about my intelligence. I began entertaining these doubts when my first daughter
was about eighteen months old. Every time I went into her room, she would take some round plas-
tic thing from her crib and throw it on the floor. Then I would pick it up, wipe it off, and hand it
back to her so she could throw it back to the floor. . . .

This little game is wonderful exercise for the fathers back, but it is his mind that needs
developing. . . .
Bill Cosby, Fatherhood
1. Which of the satirists weapons listed above does Bill Cosby use in the statement, Ive
bought you three-and-a-half-million dollars worth of toys and dolls?
2. Which of the satirists weapons does Bill Cosby use in the statement, I guess the real rea-
son that my wife and I had children is the same reason that Napoleon had for invading
Russia: It seemed like a good idea at the time?
3. Think about humorous incidents that youve observed happening between a parent and a
child. On a separate sheet of paper, write a short paragraph about one such incident using
irony, exaggeration, and understatement.

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
6.6 Creating a Satirical Cartoon

Key Information
A satirical cartoon is a picture or a set of pictures that comments on a social or political issue by pok-
ing fun at something or someone. Irony, exaggeration, and understatement are at work in cartoons,
just as they are in written satire. Cartoonists may use any of a number of elements to convey their
viewpoints, including caricature, symbols, analogies, labels, captions, and dialogue.
Identifying Satirical Elements

After you have examined the cartoon, answer the following questions:
1. Who are the characters in the cartoon?
What symbol is used in the cartoon? You're lucky... fast
eak
What does the symbol represent? usually eating br
cereals advertised oens
ak
cartoon showds m
them fat an lazy
DOCTORS' GROUP PROPOSES BANNING TV FOOD ADS AIMED AT KIDS
2. What is happening in the cartoon?

3. What social issue is the cartoon addressing?
4. What point is this cartoon trying to make?
5. What particular groups do you think the cartoonist is targeting in this cartoon?

Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
6.7 Analyzing a Critical Review

Key Information
An effective movie review meets the following criteria:
Focuses on the movie
Gives enough information to help make a decision but not spoil the enjoyment
Evaluates the elements of movie making, such as the acting and directing
Zeroes in on specifics of interest to its readers
Includes only relevant personal reactions
Presents the writers opinion in an interesting, well-written manner
Evaluating a Critical Review

Read the following movie review of Beauty and the Beast. Then on the lines below, evaluate the
review, using the criteria listed above to guide your evaluation. Write your evaluation in the
form of a short personal letter or as a letter to the editor responding to the review.
Model
T his mix of old and new ingredients is served up in four-star style by the Wait Disney team. It has
an important message for todays label-crazy kids: appearances are not everything. In addition,
the age-old plot works, thanks in large part to the inspired script and songs of Alan Menken and
Howard Ashman. The brainy and beautiful Belle has captured the eye of Gaston, a handsome, con-
ceited villain, who is the towns answer to Arnold Schwarzenegger. As the story unfolds, Belle
meets the Beast and discovers that beauty is far more than skin deep. The music in this movie actu-
ally advances the plot, a rare occurrence nowadays, when the soundtrack often either deafens or
hypnotizes. Some of the satire might be a bit rich for kids, but theyll swallow the gags with glee.
Paige OHara rings out sweet and clear as the voice of Beauty, and Robby Bensons intense, rever-
berant bass is completely in tune with the complex, brooding temperament of Beast. The special
effects and nonhuman characters are an integral part of the story, not merely icing on the cake.

This is a movie for all ages. Its a must-see.

Composition Practice: Grade 12

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Unit 1 Personal Writing

Unit 2 The Writing Process

Unit 3 Descriptive Writing

Unit 4 Narrative Writing

Unit 5 Expository Writing

Unit 6 Persuasive Writing

1.1 Writing as Self-Discovery I

Area of Experience Specific Instance Writing Idea

1. School Memories school play my wig falling off on stage

6. Fads and Styles

10. Pet Peeves

Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 1 1

1.1 Writing as Self-Discovery II

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2 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 1

1.2 Using a Journal

1. What is Joan Didion comparing her journal to?

B. Writing a Journal Entry

Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 1 3

1.3 Learning with a Learning Log

Using Learning Logs

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4 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 1

1.4 Writing a College Application Essay

Understanding College Application Essays

1. What is the focus of this essay?

5. Do you think the tone of this essay is serious or light-hearted?

Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 1 5

1.5 Writing a Rsum

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6 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 1

1.6 Expressing Opinions About Literature

Writing About Literature

1. What is the writers opinion of the book?

Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 1 7

1.7 Creative Responses to Literature

R OMEO: But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

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William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

On a separate sheet of paper, write a parody of Romeos monologue above, re-creating

8 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 1

2.1 An Overview of the Writing Process

Analyzing Your Writing Process

Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 2 9

2.2 Prewriting: Finding a Topic I

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10 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 2

2.2 Prewriting: Finding a Topic II

B. Focusing Your Topic

Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 2 11

2.3 Prewriting: Establishing Purpose and Audience

Exploring Purpose and Audience

guests at your relatives birthday party ________________________________________________

school literary magazine ___________________________________________________________

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12 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 12, Unit 2

2.4 Drafting: Ordering Your Thoughts

A. Choosing Organizational Patterns

1. explaining the relationship between a computer and your memory _________________________

2. describing stress reduction through exercise and relaxation _______________________________