AP English Language and Composition (AP 11) Summer Assignment

AP English Language and Composition (AP 11) Summer Assignment May 30, 2018 Dear Future AP English Language and Composition Student, We re excited that you have decided to take AP English Language and Composition. The upcoming school year will be challenging. The AP Language and Composition is a rigorous course but one that will develop your writing talents and potentially help you to earn college credits. Please join our Google Classroom, our class code is 4d2kxm. In order to be successful, you should complete the following assignments before the course begins in September: 1. Create a flashcard for each of the terms on the AP Terms List (attached). Each card should have the term written on the front and its definition on the back. Cards must be handwritten. 2. Complete a dialectical journal a. Read Frederick Douglass s autobiography The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and complete one dialectical journal entry per chapter (see attached). 3. Read one of the books on the AP Reading list and answer the five questions. You will read The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass on the Owl Eyes web site. Our class code is 13xj-63jj-es. The books on the reading list can be purchased, checked out from the local library, or read online (if hyperlinked). Start on your assignments early; you are expected to submit them on the first day of class! If you have any questions, don t hesitate to e-mail Mrs. Fok at Frances.Fok@vbschools.com or Mrs. Livingston at Susan.Livingston@vbschools.com. We answer emails weekly, and if you need more assistance, you can schedule an appointment with us. We know that your summer will be busy but hope that it will be restful as well. We look forward to meeting you in the fall! Sincerely, Mrs. Fok and Mrs. Livingston AP Language and Composition Instructors 1

Summer Assignment 2018, Part II Dialectical Journal The dialectic was the method Socrates used to teach his students how to be actively engaged in the struggle to derive meaning from an unfamiliar and challenging work. In a dialectical journal, students divide their paper into three columns. The first column is labeled TEXT; the second is DEVICE; and the third RESPONSE. As you read, you identify certain passages that cause you to stop and respond to what you are reading. These passages should include the use of a device (one of the terms on the AP Terms list--do not use the terms with an asterisk * next to them). You will use the model below to create your dialectical journal, and your teacher will use this model in evaluating your work. Please notice in the TEXT column, you cite verbatim passages from the novel and include quotation marks and page numbers according to the prescribed format. Your RESPONSE should explain how the device is being used in the text--its function ; it should also attempt to make a connection (personal or literary), pose a question, or explain how the text is significant to the work s overall meaning. Responses should consist of at least 60 words. Note the chapter and page # in a parenthetical citation. If you are using an electronic copy of the book, you may leave the page # blank. Be sure that the entries for each work are representative of the entire work. You should have at least one entry per chapter for chapters 1-10; you will not have an entry for chapter 11. Number each entry (1-10). Terms cannot be used more than once. You should use 10 different terms in your journal. Repetition of terms will result in a loss of credit. Remember not use terms with a asterisk * next to them. Handwrite your dialectical journal entries in a composition notebook. Use your own ideas not ideas from your friend s or classmate s work, nor ideas copies from other sources (Book Rags, Spark Notes, etc.) If you don t do your own thinking, you won t learn anything, and it will all be a waste of your time. You will also lose credit. Higher Level Responses (deeper thought leading to deeper understanding) Analyze the text for use of literary devices (tone, structure, style, imagery). Be sure to explain the effect ; avoid merely naming techniques. Make connections between different characters or events in the text Make connections to a different text (or film, song, etc ) Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s) Consider an event or description from the perspective of a different character Analyze a passage and its relationship to the story as a whole 2

The Life of Pi by Yan Martel TEXT DEVICE RESPONSE 1. A foul and pungent smell, an earthy mix of rust and excrement hung in the air. There was blood everywhere, coagulating to a deep red crust. A single fly buzzed about, sounding like an alarm bell of insanity. (Chapter 46, 127) Imagery Martel paints a disturbing picture in his description of the lifeboat following the slow painful death of the zebra. He describes the air as smelling like an earthy mix of rust and excrement, the boat as having blood everywhere, and his only companion as a single fly sounding like an alarm bell of insanity. Through this shockingly filthy and revolting portrayal of the lifeboat, Martel establishes a tone of absolute disgust. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd TEXT DEVICE RESPONSE 1. " she gave me a lesson in what she called 'bee yard etiquette'. She reminded me that the world was really one bee yard, and the same rules work fine in both places. Don't be afraid, as no life-loving bee wants to sting you. Still, don't be an idiot; wear long sleeves and pants. Don't swat. Don't even think about swatting...act like you know what you're doing, even if you don't. Above all, send the bees love. Every little thing wants to be loved" (Chapter 1, 10). Anaphora August uses anaphora by repeating the word don t. She does this to emphasize to Lily the things that a person should not do like being afraid of things or pushing others away. August feels that people should instead love each other. This reminds me of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart. Even though he pushed his son away, he really wanted love. Okonkwo would have benefited from August s advice. 3

AP English Language and Composition Terms 1. Ad hominem - from the Latin meaning to or against the man, this is an argument that appeals to emotion rather than reason, to feeling rather than intellect 2. Allegory* - a story in which a second meaning is to be read beneath the surface. Example: The Crucible seems to be a story about the Salem Witch Trials, but it s actually about the McCarthy Trials. 3. Alliteration - the repetition of one or more initial consonants in a group of words or lines in a poem 4. Allusion - a reference (usually indirect) to a person, place, or event meant to create an effect or enhance the meaning of an idea. Example: Robert Frost s poem Out, Out is an allusion to William Shakespeare s Macbeth where one of the characters says, Out, out, brief candle! 5. Ambiguity - a vagueness of meaning; conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings or interpretations 6. Anaphora -the repetition of a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses. Example: " We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans ; we shall never surrender." Winston Churchill 7. Antecedent* - a word to which the pronoun refers 8. Antithesis - a figure of speech involving the bringing out of a contrast in the ideas by an obvious contrast in the words, clauses, or sentences, within a parallel grammatical structure. Example: Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice. 9. Aphorism - a short, pithy statement of a generally accepted truth or sentiment (adage, maxim). Example: Three can keep a secret if two are dead. Benjamin Franklin 10. Apostrophe - a figure of speech that addresses a person or personified thing not present. Example: Oh, you cruel streets of Manhattan, how I detest you! 11. Atmosphere - the emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author s choice of objects that are described. Frequently, atmosphere foreshadows events. 12. Balanced sentence - a sentence that that employs parallel structure of approximately the same length and importance. Ex. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." Charles Dickens 13. Chiasmus - a device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures in order to produce an artistic effect. Ex. Never let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You. 14. Clause* - a structural element of a sentence, consisting of subject and a verb 15. Colloquial/ colloquialism - the use of informal expressions appropriate to everyday speech rather than to the formality of writing, and differing in pronunciation, vocabulary, or grammar 16. Conceit - an unusually far-fetched or elaborate metaphor or simile presenting a surprisingly apt parallel between two apparently dissimilar things or feelings. Example: Griefe is a puddle, and reflects not cleare/ Your beauties rayes. 17. Connotation - the suggested or implied meaning of a word or phrase (contrast with denotation) 18. Denotation - the dictionary definition of a word (contrast with connotation) 4

19. Diction - the choice of words in oral and written discourse. For the AP exam, you should be able to describe an author s diction (for example, formal or informal, ornate or plain) and understand the ways in which diction can complement the author s purpose. Diction combined with syntax, figurative language, literary devices, etc., creates an author s style. Note: this term frequently appears in the essay question s wording. In your thesis avoid phrases such as, The author uses diction Since diction, by definition, is word choice, this phrase really says, The author chooses words to write which is as redundant (and silly) as claiming, A painter uses paints to paint. At least try to put an adjective in front of the word diction to help describe it, such as stark diction or flowery and soft diction. 20. Didactic - a tone having an instructive purpose; intending to convey information or teach a lesson, usually in a dry, pompous manner 21. Euphemism - a mild or less negative usage for a harsh or blunt term. Example: pass away is a euphemism for die. 22. Extended metaphor - a metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work 23. Figurative language - writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid 24. Figure of speech - an expression that departs from the accepted literal sense or from the normal order of words simile, metaphor, personification 25. Generic conventions* - expectations of a certain genre 26. Genre* - a term used to describe literary forms, such as a novel, play, and essay 27. Homily* - a lecture or sermon on a religious or moral theme meant to guide human behavior 28. Hyperbole - overstatement; gross exaggeration for rhetorical effect. Example: I ve told you a million times not to lie. 29. Imagery - the use of language to evoke a picture or concrete sensation of a person, a thing, a place, or an experience 30. Inference - a conclusion or proposition arrived at by considering facts, observations, or some other specific data 31. Invective - a direct verbal assault; a denunciation; casting blame on someone or something 32. Irony - a mode of expression in which the effect of language in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is stated A) Verbal irony - the words literally state the opposite of the writer s (or speaker s) true meaning B) Dramatic irony - a circumstance in which the audience knows more about a situation than a character C) Situational irony - events turn out the opposite of what was expected 33. Juxtaposition - normally unassociated words or phrases are placed next to each other for effect. Ex. The store was loud and crowded I desired a long nap 34. Litotes (pronounced almost like little tee )- a form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite. Litotes is the opposite of hyperbole. Examples: Not a bad idea, Not many, It isn t very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain. 35. Loose sentence - a sentence that follows the customary word order of English sentences, 5

i.e., subject-verb-object. The main idea of the sentence is presented first is then followed by one or more subordinate clauses. See also periodic sentence. 36. Metaphor - a figure of speech that compares two unlike objects 37. Metonymy - a figure of speech that uses the name of one thing to represent something else with which it is associated. Example: The White House says (The White House has become closely associated with the federal government.) 38. Mood - the emotional tone or prevailing atmosphere in a work of literature or other discourse 39. Narrative* - a form of verse or prose (both fiction and non-fiction) that tells a story. A storyteller may use any number of narrative devices, such as skipping back and forth in time, ordering events chronologically, and ordering events to lead up to a suspenseful climax 40. Onomatopoeia - the use of words whose sounds suggest their meaning. Example: bubbling, murmuring brooks. 41. Oxymoron - a term consisting of contradictory elements juxtaposed to create a paradoxical effect. Examples: loud silence, jumbo shrimp, bittersweet. 42. Paradox - a statement that seems self-contradictory but is nevertheless true. Example 1: A rich man is no richer than a poor man. Example 2: "The swiftest traveler is he that goes afoot." Henry David Thoreau 43. Parallelism - the structure required for expressing two or more grammatical elements of equal rank. Coordinate ideas, compared and contrasted ideas, and correlative conjunctions call for parallel construction. For example: College favor applicants with good academic records, varied interests, and they should earn high score on the AP exam. The underlined section of the sentence lacks the same grammatical form as the italicized phrases. To be correct, it should read high scores. 44. Parody* - an imitation of work meant to ridicule its style and subject. Unlike satire, a parody mocks its subject for fun and to bring about change. 45. Pedantic - an adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish 46. Periodic sentence - a sentence that departs from the usual word order of English sentences by expressing its main thought only at the end. In other words, the particulars in the sentence are presented before the idea they support. Example: Ecstatic with my AP scores, I let out a loud shout of joy! The effect of a periodic sentence is to add emphasis and structural variety. 47. Personification - a figure of speech in which objects and animals are given human characteristics. Ex. The book touched me. 48. Point of view - the relation in which a narrator or speaker stands to a subject of discourse. A matter discussed in first person has an internal point of view; an observer uses an external point of view. When you are asked to analyze an author s point of view, the appropriate point for you to address is the author s attitude. 49. Polysyndeton - a stylistic device in which several coordinating conjunctions are used in succession in order to achieve an artistic effect. Ex. And Joshua, and all of Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, 6

and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had. 50. Prose* - any discourse that is not poetry. A prose poem is a selection of prose that, because of it language or content, is poetic in nature. 51. Repetition - reuse of the same words, phrase, or ideas for rhetorical effect, usually to emphasize a point. 52. Rhetoric* - the language of a work and its style; words, often high emotional, used to convince or sway an audience 53. Rhetorical mode* - a general term that identifies discourse according to its chief purpose A) exposition - to explain, analyze, or discuss an idea B) argumentation - to prove a point of to persuade C) description - to recreate or present with details D) narration - to relate an anecdote or story 54. Rhetorical question - a question to which the audience already knows the answer; a question asked merely for effect with no answer expected 55. Sarcasm - a sharp, caustic attitude conveyed in words through jibes, taunts, or other remarks; sarcasm differs from irony, which is more subtle 56. Satire* - a literary style used to poke fun at, attack, or ridicule an idea, vice, or foible, often for the purpose of inducing change 57. Simile - a figurative comparison of two unlike things using connecting words or phrases, such as like or as. Example: Life is like a box of chocolates. 58. Style - the manner in which an author uses and arranges words, shapes ideas, forms sentences, and creates a structure to convey ideas 59. Subject complement* - the name of a grammatical unit that is comprised of predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives 60. Subordinate clause* - a group of words made up of a subject and predicate but cannot stand up alone as a sentence. (Also called dependent clause) 61. Syllogism - a form of deductive reasoning in which given certain ideas or facts, other ideas or facts must follow, as in All men are mortal; Mike is a man; therefore, Mike is mortal. 62. Symbolism - the use of one object to evoke ideas and associations not literally part of the original object A) natural symbols - ones that use objects and occurrences from nature to represent ideas commonly associated with them (dawn symbolizing hope or a new beginning, a rose symbolizing love, a tree symbolizing knowledge) B) conventional symbols - ones that have been invested with meaning by a group (religious symbols, such as a cross or Star of David; national symbols, such as a flag or an eagle; or group symbols, such as skull and crossbones for pirates or the scales or justice for lawyers) C) literary symbols - these are sometimes conventional in the sense that they are found in a variety of works and are generally recognized. However, a work s symbols may be more complicated as is the whale in Moby Dick and the jungle in Heart of Darkness. On the AP exam, try to determine what abstraction an object is a symbol for and to what extent it is successful in representing that abstraction. 63. Synecdoche -a figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole. Example: All hands on deck. (The speaker wants all bodies and not just their hands on deck.) 7

64. Syntax - the organization of language into meaningful structure; every sentence has particular syntax or pattern of words 65. Theme - the main idea or meaning, often an abstract idea upon which an essay or other form of discourse is built 66. Thesis* - the main idea of a piece of discourse; the statement or proposition that a speaker or writer wishes to advance, illustrate, prove, or defend. 67. Tone - the author s attitude toward the subject being written about. The tone is the characteristic emotion that pervades a work or part of a work the spirit or quality that is the work s emotional essence. 68. Transition* - a stylistic device used to create a link between ideas. Transitions often endow discourse with continuity and coherence. 69. Understatement - a restrained statement that departs from what could be said; a studied avoidance of emphasis or exaggeration, often to create a particular effect. 70. Zeugma - a figure of speech in which a word, usually a verb or an adjective, applies to more than one noun, blending together grammatically and logically different ideas. For instance, John lost his coat and his temper. Terms for the Essay Section (These terms are for your enrichment. Do not use these terms for your flashcards or on your dialectical journal.) Attitude - A speaker's, author's, or character's disposition toward or opinion of a subject. For example, Hamlet's attitude toward Gertrude is a mixture of affection and revulsion, changing from one to the other within a single scene. Jane Austen's attitude toward Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice combines respect for his wit and intelligence with disapproval of his failure to take sufficient responsibility for the rearing of all of his daughters. Concrete detail - a highly specific, particular, often real, actual, or tangible detail; the opposite of abstract Descriptive detai l- graphic, exact, and accurate presentation of the characteristics of a person, place, or thing. When asked to provide descriptive details on the AP exam, look for sensory description. Devices - the figures of speech, syntax, diction, and other stylistic elements that collectively produce a particular artistic effect. Language - when you re asked to analyze language, concentrate on how the elements of language combine to form a whole how diction, syntax, figurative language, and sentence structure create a cumulative effect Narrative devices - this term describes the tools of the storyteller, such as ordering events so that they build to a climactic moment or withholding information until a crucial or appropriate moment when revealing it creates a desired effect. On the essay exam, this term may also apply to biographical and autobiographical writing. Narrative techniques - The methods involved in telling a story; the procedures used by a writer of stories or accounts. Narrative technique is a general term (like "devices," or "resources of language") that asks you to discuss the procedures used in the telling of a story. Examples of the techniques you might use are point of view, manipulation of time, dialogue, or interior monologue. Persuasive devices - words in a passage that have strong connotations words that intensify 8

the emotional effect Persuasive essay - a coherent argument in which the evidence builds to a logical and relevant conclusion. Strong persuasive essays often appeal to the audience s emotions or ethical standards. Resources of language - A general phrase for the linguistic devices or techniques that a writer can use. A question calling for the "resources of language" invites a student to discuss the style and rhetoric of a passage. Such topics as diction, syntax, figurative language, and imagery are all examples of resources of language. Rhetorical features - this phrase refers to how a passage is constructed. If asked to consider rhetorical structure, look at the passage s organization and how the writer combines images, details, or arguments to serve his or her purpose. Sentence structure - type of sentence. There are four basic sentence structures: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. Consider variation or lack of it in sentence length, any unusual devices in sentence construction, such as repetition or inverted word order, and any unusual word or phrase placement. Stylistic devices - a general term referring to diction, syntax, tone, figurative language, and all other elements that contribute to the style, or manner of a given piece of discourse Summer Assignment, Part III Choose one of the following books to read and answer the questions below. Submit your answers on Google Classroom. AP English Language BOOK LIST Autobiography / Memoir Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays With Morrie. (Dying teacher and life-long student) Cheng, Nien. Life and Death in Shanghai. (Imprisonment, resistance, justice) Conover, Ted. Newjack. (Chronicles a year as a prison guard at Sing-Sing) Griffin, John Howard. Black Like Me. (Eyewitness history by white man who becomes black) Hurston, Zora Neale. Dust Tracks on a Road. (Account of her rise from poverty to prominence) Karr, Mary. The Liar s Club. (Poetic insight into one of the ugliest places on earth) Krakauer, John. Three Cups of Deceit: How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way (Krakauer's investigation revealing the "truth" about Mortenson's story) Mathabane, Mark. Kaffir Boy. (Civil rights in South Africa) McCourt, Frank. Angela s Ashes. (Poverty, starvation, and exuberance in depression Ireland) Mortenson, Greg and David Oliver Relin. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time. (Sheltered and nursed in a remote mountain village, author vows to 9

return to build schools throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan) Rodriguez, Richard. Hunger of Memory. (Social assimilation / education with alienation) Ung, Loung. First They Killed My Father (A young girl whose life torn apart by the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia) Swanson, James. Manhunt (Chasing Lincoln s Killer). (The murder of Abraham Lincoln set off the greatest manhunt in history) Walls, Jeannette. The Glass Castle (Story of childhood with eccentric, bordering on abusive, parents) Wolff, Tobias. This Boy s Life. (Somber, dark funny story of growing up in the 50 s) Wideman, John Edgar. Brothers and Keepers. (One a professor, the other an inmate) Wright, Richard. Black Boy. (Life to age 19 in the Deep South) Biography Drennan, William. Death in a Prairie House: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders. (The most pivotal and yet least understood event of Frank Lloyd Wright s celebrated life involves the brutal murders in 1914 of seven adults and children dear to the architect and the destruction by fire of Taliesin, his landmark residence) Gunther, John. Death Be Not Proud. ( Father tells of 17 year old s struggle with brain tumor) Kennedy, John F. Profiles in Courage (Classic study of courageous lives) Krakauer, Jon. Under the Banner of Heaven. (Violent religious extremism in our own country) Maraniss, David. When Pride Still Mattered: The Life of Vince Lombardi. (touchstone for 60 s) McBride, James. The Color of Water. (A tribute to his remarkable mother) McCullough, David. John Adams. (Palace intrigue, scandal, and political brilliance) Shetterly, Margot Lee. Hidden Figures. (The untold story of the black women who helped win the space race) Sobel, Dava. Galileo s Daughter. (Father/daughter s vastly different worlds) Nature / Adventure / Science Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. (A book that launched the environmental movement) Johnson, Steven. The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic-and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World. (Disease strikes London in 1854) Junger, Sebastian. The Perfect Storm. (Swordfish boat vs. Mother Nature) Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air. (Everest climb gone wrong) Larson, Erik. Isaac s Storm. (1900 hurricane still deadliest of all time) Philbrick, Nathaniel. In the Heart of the Sea. (The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex) Thompson, Gabriel. Working in the Shadows: A Year of Doing the Jobs (Most) Americans Won t Do (Author works in various unskilled labor jobs providing engaging and gruesome details) Thoreau, Henry David. Walden. (Spends 26 months alone in the woods to "front the essential facts of life.") 10

Sports Asinof, Eliot. Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series. (The scandal and damage caused) Conroy, Pat. My Losing Season. (Famous author on his senior year at The Citadel) Lewis, Michael. Moneyball. (How Oakland A s general manager changing baseball) Powell, Robert Andrew. We Own This Game. (Pop Warner football in Miami run by race, politics, money) Remnick, David. King of the World. (Ali as racial and cultural hero in the 1950 s) Riley, Rick. Who s Your Caddie? ( Sports Illustrated writer caddies for famous people)) History / Politics / War Ambrose, Stephen. Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest. (The story of the remarkable company that parachuted into Normandy on D-Day) Ambrose, Stephen. Undaunted Courage. (Compelling story of Lewis and Clark expedition) Diamond, Jared. Guns, Gems, and Steel. (Readable work of 13,000 years of history) Fleming, Thomas. Duel. (Story of duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton) Gladwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point. (Explains why changes in society occur suddenly) Gourevitch, Phillip. We Wish to Inform You Tomorrow We Will be Killed with Our Families. (Rwanda Genocide) Herman, Arthur. How the Scots Invented the Modern World. (Just what the title suggests) Larson, Erik. The Devil and the White City. (The Chicago World s Fair and the first serial killer) Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. Notes on a Kidnapping. (Investigation behind Pablo Escobar s terror) Menzies, Gavin. 1421: The Year China Discovered America. (Discovery before Columbus?) Rashke, Richard. Escape from Sobibor. (A revolt at a Nazi concentration camp) Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation. (Behind the scenes at the most popular restaurants) True Crime Berendt, John. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. (Entertaining true crime story) Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. (The first, some say the best, in this category) Cornwell, Patricia. Portrait of a Killer. (The Jack the Ripper crimes are solved?) Metress, Christopher. The Lynching of Emmett Till: A Documentary Narrative. (Murder in the south) Modern Classics Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed. (A journalist s undercover investigation of poverty) 11

Levitt, Steven and Stephen Dubner. Freakonomics. (Inner workings of the modern world from politicians to gangs) Please answer the following questions. There is a document for you to answer these questions and a box to submit your answers on Google Classroom. 1. Introduction and context. Who is the author? What is his or her background (social class, nationality, etc.) and personal characteristics (life experience, age, occupation, gender sexual orientation, political beliefs, etc.)? How does this information affect your understanding of the text? Does the author tell you anything directly about himself/herself? Does he/she imply some personal information that isn t stated directly? Why might the author have done this? 2. Determine the text s intended audience. Who did the author write the text for? To whom does the author seem to be speaking in the text? Are you a member of this group? What beliefs does the author assume the audience shares with him or her? Where are how does the author make these assumptions explicit? Where does he/she imply them? 3. What are the text s main points? What is the text about? What is the author trying to accomplish? What is the message he or she is trying to convey? 4. What are the text s strategies? How does the author show us what he/she means? What sorts of examples, evidence, or details are given to show us the significance of what he/she is trying to say? Does the author present all sides of an issue or just a few? Why might he/she have chosen to just focus on those points (and not the ones he/she left out)? 5. Tone What is the author s tone? How does this tone fit the author s purpose? How does the author s choice of words convey the author s main point? If there s humor, where is it used? How does the author manage strong opinions without alienating the audience? 12