November 27th Vocabulary

Today is my birthday. To celebrate, there will be no vocabulary words for this week. Enjoy your winter break!

Last Class of the Semester

Class, we are about finished for the first semester! We have studied three novels, numerous poems and short stories and essays, three literary theories, grammar, and vocabulary. Tomorrow, we will have a comprehensive review over everything we've studied so far. :) Come prepared! Snacks are welcome our last day of class, as are any ugly sweaters, or other festive attire. See you tomorrow!

Vocabulary Week 16

1. fetid (adj): smelling very unpleasant

2. perfunctory (adj): carried out with minimum effort to satisfy the situation

3. fracas (n): a noisy disturbance

4. foible (n): a small flaw

5. vacuous (adj): showing a lack of thought or intelligence

The Perils of Indifference

Your assignment this week is to watch and analyze Elie Wiesel's The Perils of Indifference speech.

Wiesel speaks out against apathy, or those folks that just don't care. Why? What are the consequences of apathy? What happens if all of us just stop caring about what happens outside of our own lives? How do you feel about his speech? Which rhetorical appeals is he using? Are they effective?


Your final draft is due to me by Friday, 11:59PM. Email in a word document, please.

Grammar test next week. Study those handouts!

Vocabulary Week 15

1. bulwark (n): a defensive wall

2. cajole (v): persuade by flattering or gently teasing

3. harbinger (n): something that marks the approach of something else

4. impetuous (adj): acting quickly without thought

5. extemporaneous (adj): spoken or done without preparation

November 6th

This week's short story is a bit long. According to the reading on Youtube (which you are welcome to listen to instead of reading), it is about 34 minutes. That said, since this is your only "reading" this week, I'm going to assign it. This is one of my favorite short stories for many reasons, but it is dark, thought-provoking, and full of rich allusions and metaphors. The story is called "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and is written by Flannery O'Connor, one of America's greatest Southern writers. You can find a PDF text here.

Your final drafts of your essay are due next week, and we will also have your next vocabulary quiz over lists 11-13. Your grammar test is on the 20th. This semester is almost over, and you've all done very well. Hang in there. Break time is coming up!

If you'd like me to look at your essay before you submit it, go ahead and email it over in a Word document. Remember to use the self-editing tips before you send them to me!

Vocabulary Week 14

1. mitigate (v): to make less severe, serious, or painful

2. anodyne (n): something that kills pain

3. vacillate (v): to alternate indecisively between two choices

4. incendiary (adj): designed to start fires or conflict

5. depravity (n): moral corruption

Reminder

Class,

Please remember that your rough draft is due this next week, November 6th. We will spend part of the class reviewing and revising the draft. I am also posting up a short story for you to read this week, since we are done with our novel, The Giver. Be prepared to discuss it this week in class.


Please read "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan, which is a short story pulled from her novel The Joy Luck Club. 

We will also work on our grammer pretests, which will include comma splices, fragments, subject/verb agreement, and dangling modifiers. You may wish to review the handouts I've given you over the semester and last week's practice. :)

We will have another vocabulay quiz on November 13th, the day your final draft for your midterm essay is due. Please study appropriately.