Showing posts with label Open-Ended Question. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Open-Ended Question. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Pre-AP English II: How Words Are Added To Dictionaries

Those students who were in class today were presented with these two brief articles
  1. Why F. Scott Fitzgerald Is All Over the Dictionary
  2. How do you decide what to include in a dictionary?
and then answered the following question:
Do you think the way words are added to the dictionary (as per the two articles) is fair? Support your reasoning with evidence from one or both articles.
Please do likewise.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Pre-AP English II: Open-Ended Questions

If you were absent today, please respond to the following Open-Ended Questions about Othello.
How does Roderigo help Iago? Why? Support answer with embedded text evidence.

Summarize the “conversation” Iago and Roderigo have with Brabantio. Support answer with embedded text evidence.
If you were in class today and would like another shot at earning a 70, re-try the questions above. If you would like to possibly earn an 85, answer the following question, as well:
In Act 1, Scene 2, line 58, why does Iago challenge Roderigo to a duel with the line "You, Roderigo! come sir, I am for you"? Support your answer with evidence from Act 1, Scene 1.

English I (Pre-AP): Open-Ended Questions

If you were absent today, please respond to the following Open-Ended Questions about Fahrenheit 451.
Summarize Montag’s relationship with Clarisse McClellan. Support your answer with embedded text evidence.

Describe what happens to the woman Montag tries to arrest when the firemen arrive at 11 North Elm St. Support your answer with embedded text evidence. (In other words, why doesn’t he arrest her?)
If you were in class today and would like another shot at earning a 70, re-try the questions above. If you would like to possibly earn an 85, answer the following question, as well:
Describe two pieces of household technology mentioned in the beginning of the novel. What are they similar to in our world.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Pre-AP English II: Reading Test Tips

If the Reading Test materials are completely separate from the Writing Test, I'll be able to update this until 6:30am on April 4th. Otherwise, like the Writing Test Tips post, I won't be able to provide additional tips beyond 6:30am on the 3rd.

[6:15pm] The following are some tips for the Open-Ended Question. Make sure you understand key terms in the question, particularly literary elements like "symbolize," "compare," "contrast," or "figuratively"
  • symbolize: likely a material object is representing a larger thing, possibly even an idea or concept
  • compare: what are similarities
  • contrast: what are differences
  • figuratively: something metaphorical (not necessarily a metaphor, but definitely not literally true)
Answer all parts of the question.
  • If the question asks about something "before and after," or "at the beginning and the end" your answer must address both. "Throughout the course of the story" also means "beginning and end." Sneaky.
Higher level vocabulary can boost your score if you use it correctly.

Your text evidence must relate to and support your idea/answer. Be very careful. Act as if your reader hasn't read the story and cannot fill in any gaps of logic you may have skipped over.

[4:15pm] Here's a page with tips for embedding quotations.

[3:40pm] Grammar Girl has "quick and dirty" tips covering: [3:20pm] The Oatmeal has several web-comic/poster guides to better spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Some include vocabulary of questionable appropriateness. Fair warning.

Monday, February 25, 2013

English I (Pre-AP): Of Mice and Men Tone Question

Please respond to the following question. Support your answer with embedded text evidence.
What is the tone of the final scene in the clearing, just prior to George killing Lennie?

If you don't already have this marked in your copy of the novel, this is the scene I'm referring to:
Lennie got up on his knees. “You ain’t gonna leave me, are ya, George? I know you ain’t.”
    George came stiffly near and sat down beside him. “No.”
    “I knowed it,” Lennie cried. “You ain’t that kind.”
    George was silent.Lennie said, “George.”
    “Yeah?”
    “I done another bad thing.”
    “It don’t make no difference,” George said, and he fell silent again.
    Only the topmost ridges were in the sun now. The shadow in the valley was blue and soft. From the distance came the sound of men shouting to one another. George turned his head and listened to the shouts.
    Lennie said, “George.”
    “Yeah?”
    “Ain’t you gonna give me hell?”
    “Give ya hell?”
    “Sure, like you always done before. Like, ‘If I di’n’t have you I’d take my fifty bucks—’”
    “Jesus Christ, Lennie! You can’t remember nothing that happens, but you remember ever’ word I say.”
    “Well, ain’t you gonna say it?”
    George shook himself. He said woodenly, “If I was alone I could live so easy.” His voice was monotonous, had no emphasis. “I could get a job an’ not have no mess.” He stopped.
    “Go on,” said Lennie. “An’ when the enda the month come—”
    “An’ when the end of the month came I could take my fifty bucks an’ go to a . . . . cat house—” He stopped again.
    Lennie looked eagerly at him. “Go on, George. Ain’t you gonna give me no more hell?”
    “No,” said George.
    “Well, I can go away,” said Lennie. “I’ll go right off in the hills an’ find a cave if you don’ want me.”
    George shook himself again. “No,” he said. “I want you to stay with me here.”
    Lennie said craftily—“Tell me like you done before.”
    “Tell you what?”
    “’Bout the other guys an’ about us.”
    George said, “Guys like us got no fambly. They make a little stake an’ then they blow it in. They ain’t got nobody in the worl’ that gives a hoot in hell about ‘em—”
    “But not us,” Lennie cried happily. “Tell about us now.”
    George was quiet for a moment. “But not us,” he said.
    “Because—”
    “Because I got you an’—”
    “An’ I got you. We got each other, that’s what, that gives a hoot in hell about us,” Lennie cried in triumph.
    The little evening breeze blew over the clearing and the leaves rustled and the wind waves flowed up the green pool. And the shouts of men sounded again, this time much closer than before.
    George took off his hat. He said shakily, “Take off your hat, Lennie. The air feels fine.”
    Lennie removed his hat dutifully and laid it on the ground in front of him.
    The shadow in the valley was bluer, and the evening came fast. On the wind the sound of crashing in the brush came to them.
    Lennie said, “Tell how it’s gonna be.”
    George had been listening to the distant sounds. For a moment he was businesslike. “Look acrost the river, Lennie, an’ I’ll tell you so you can almost see it.”Lennie turned his head and looked off across the pool and up the darkening slopes of the Gabilans. “We gonna get a little place,” George began. He reached in his side pocket and brought out Carlson’s Luger; he snapped off the safety, and the hand and gun lay on the ground behind Lennie’s back. He looked at the back of Lennie’s head, at the place where the spine and skull were joined.
    A man’s voice called from up the river, and another man answered.
    “Go on,” said Lennie.
    George raised the gun and his hand shook, and he dropped his hand to the ground again.
    “Go on,” said Lennie. “How’s it gonna be. We gonna get a little place.”
    “We’ll have a cow,” said George. “An’ we’ll have maybe a pig an’ chickens . . . . an’ down the flat we’ll have a . . . . little piece alfalfa—”
    “For the rabbits,” Lennie shouted.
    “For the rabbits,” George repeated.
    “And I get to tend the rabbits.”
    “An’ you get to tend the rabbits.”
    Lennie giggled with happiness. “An’ live on the fatta the lan’.”
    “Yes.”
    Lennie turned his head.
    “No, Lennie. Look down there acrost the river, like you can almost see the place.”
    Lennie obeyed him. George looked down at the gun.
    There were crashing footsteps in the brush now. George turned and looked toward them.
    “Go on, George. When we gonna do it?”
    “Gonna do it soon.”
    “Me an’ you.”
    “You . . . . an’ me. Ever’body gonna be nice to you. Ain’t gonna be no more trouble. Nobody gonna hurt nobody nor steal from ‘em.”
    Lennie said, “I thought you was mad at me, George.”
    “No,” said George. “No, Lennie. I ain’t mad. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know.”
    The voices came close now. George raised the gun and listened to the voices.
    Lennie begged, “Le’s do it now. Le’s get that place now.”
    “Sure, right now. I gotta. We gotta.”
   

Monday, January 7, 2013

English I (Pre-AP): House on Mango Street Open-Ended Question

After reading the excerpt of the story we read in class, please respond to the following prompt:
Does Cisneros' choice of name for the protagonist seem ironic? Explain (with embedded evidence from the text.


Do not leave your quoted evidence floating naked and alone.

For instance, in both cases, the quote is isolated from the analysis/commentary (poor form):
Esperanza is not an ironic name for the protagonist of House on Mango Street. "Quote from story." This helps the reader see that there is hope for her, which is the meaning of her name.

or

Esperanza is an ironic name choice for the lead character in House on Mango Street. "Different quote from story." Someone named after hope should have a positive outlook on life, and Esperanza doesn't.


Instead, the text evidence should be securely wrapped in the warmth and brilliance of your own words. These would be better (not great, but better):
Esperanza is not an ironic name for the protagonist of House on Mango Street. When Cisneros writes, "Quote from story," the reader can easily see that there is hope for her, which is the meaning of her name.

or

Esperanza is an ironic name choice for the lead character in House on Mango Street. For instance, in lines xx through yy, she says "'Different quote from story.'" Someone named after hope should have a positive outlook on life, and Esperanza's words show she doesn't.


Monday, December 3, 2012

Pre-AP English II: EOC Reading Retest Tips

Remember: for the Short-Answer responses, your answer (idea) must be expressed differently than what text evidence you use to support it. If you repeat the information in the supporting text, you run the risk (likelihood) of scoring a zero (0) rather than a one or two (1 or 2).

Your text evidence needs to be embedded in your own words. At least start off with a citation from the text: As Clarence says in paragraph 14, "blah blah blah."

Better yet, follow up the quote with analysis that clarifies an explanation of your original answer: When the author says "yadda yadda yadda," it makes it clear that .... (Your clarification should be expressed in different words than your original answer and the supporting text.)

Crossover: For a graphic organizer to help you with the crossover (or "multiple selection" short-answer), click the graphic, above. Essentially, it's two single-selection responses with an "umbrella" response covering both.

Multiple Choice tips
On questions asking for definitions, make sure that the definition you pick fits the context of the sentence/paragraph where it is being used. It is likely that multiple answers will match definitions given in the dictionary.

On questions that ask "what word/phrase helps you understand the meaning of" a phrase in the text, what they're looking for is what word is a synonym for the word/phrase in question or which answer best matches the definition of the word/phrase in question. Again, it is likely that all the answers appear in the portion of the text being looke at.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Pre-AP English II: Pearl Chapter One Open-Ended Questions

Thoughtfully respond to the following prompts. Support your answers with text evidence.

Responses should be no longer than 10 lines long. (#4 and the best response from #1-3 will be taken for a grade.)

1. Contrast the character Juana from The Pearl with Mildred from Fahrenheit 451. (You may generalize for Mildred, but please embed specific text evidence for Juana in your response.)

2. Describe an Internal Conflict (person vs. self) and an External Conflict (person vs. other, nature, society, etc.) that occur in Chapter One of The Pearl. (Embed specific text evidence.)

3. Discuss two ways colonialism (Spanish colonizing Mexico) transformed the lives of native people like Kino and his family. (Embed specific text evidence.)

4. How does the introduction of evil (the scorpion) into the story transform the good characters (Kino, Juana, and Coyotito)? (Embed specific text evidence.)

Monday, October 8, 2012

English I (Pre-AP): Open-Ended Question

If you didn't complete your open-ended response in class today, please do so now (replace the partial response with your completed response once your response is complete):
Which "lie" mentioned in the introduction of The Alchemist did the crystal merchant believe, and in doing so, prevented him from realizing his personal legend (i.e., stopped him from making his pilgrimage to Mecca)? Support your response with evidence from the text.
10 lines maximum.

Pre-AP English II: 451F Open-Ended Question

If you didn't complete your open-ended response in class today, please do so now (replace the partial response with your completed response once your response is complete):
What reasons did Beatty give for the banning of books? Are his reasons legitimate? Support your response with evidence from the text.
10 lines maximum.