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Preparation for Examination 3

Responding To Text

1.       Read Pages 21-25 in Chapter 2, “Reading and Writing about Text,” as well as the related study guide discussions and self-checks.

2.       Skim the following essays and thenm based on your personal interest in and connection to the content, choose one to read actively.

“His Marriage and Hers: Childhood Roots,” by Daniel Goleman (pages404-409)

“Dude, Do You Know What You Just Said?” by Mike Crissey (pages 494-496)

“Too Immature for the Death Penalty,” by Paul Raeburn (pages 516-520)

“Hitting the ‘Granite Wall,” by Gary M. Stern (pages 545-549)

3.       Review the characteristics for the pattern of development that your chosen essay exemplified.  For example, “Too Immature for the Death Penalty” is in the chapter discussing casual analysis,  so you would review characteristics for a cause- and effect essay, which start on page 510.

Examination

Lesson 3: Responding to Text

Examination Number: 050414

Whichever method you use in submitting your exam answers to the school, you must use the number above.

Objectives

For the essay topic you chose, write a response essay of 600 to 800 words in which you analyze the content and evaluate the pattern of development used.

Topic

Link the essay to your own experiences in some key way.

Purpose

The purpose is to inform the reader the effectiveness of the essay’s pattern of development and about your personal connection to the content.

Audience

Your English composition instructor is your audience.

Process

1.       Using the reading and response strategies outline in Chapter 2, actively read your chosen essay several times.  Remember to gather information related to the pattern of development and to an area of personal interest.

2.       Narrow your focus appropriately for the assigned length and topic.

 

 

 

 

3.       Apply the prewriting, drafting, revising and editing strategies covered in your textbook to develop your response essay.

 

4.       Before composing your final draft, revise and edit further according to the essay evaluation information given in the Appendix of your study unit.

5.       Submit the final draft of the essay to the school by mail or by electronic submission in the required format.  See Course Procedures.

Caution: This writing assignment requires evidence only from your experience and from the essay, not using evidence from outside sources.  See the plagiarism policy, which will apply to any writer using information irresponsible.

Note: Begin working on your next exam but don’t submit the final draft until you receive the evaluation for this essay.  Remember your goal is to improve as a writer over the course of each assignment.

 

   

 

 

Preparation for Examination 4

Describing and Illustrating

1.       Review Chapter 9, “Description: Portraying People, Places and Things” (pages 239-280)

2.       Review the tips for integrating illustration (pages 296) and process analysis (pages 338-340) into an essay.

Examination

Lesson 4: Describing and Illustrating

Examination Number: 050415

Whichever method you use in submitting your exam answers to the school, you must use the number above.

Objective

Write a subjective descriptive essay of 750-1,000 words that incorporates both illustration and process analysis.

Topic

Your topic is a hobby, sport, or activity that you enjoy doing.

You may be familiar with the proverb, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy (or Jill a dull girl).”  What activity do you engage in for fun or relaxation to take your mind off your studies?  Perhaps you enjoy painting or hiking.  Maybe you make furniture or play ping pong.  Describe a favorite pastime of yours, showing how it helps relieve stress in your life.  Include illustrations from experience and a brief how –to explaination to develop your description fully.

Patterns of Development

Use description supported by illustration and process analysis.

Purpose

Your primary purpose is to entertain reading through sharing your enjoyment of the pastime.  Your secondary purpose is to inform readers about the basics of the activity.

Audience

Your fellow Penn Foster College students are your audience.

Process

1.       Applying the given requirements, work through the Guided Writing Assignment on pages 256-265.  Narrow your focus appropriately for the assigned length and use the subjective approach as you write.  Incorporate strategies from illustration and process analysis to support the descriptive pattern.

 

 

 

2.       As part of the revising and editing analysis, make any necessary changes to your work to meet the assigned requirements, including the essay evaluation information.  See the Appendix.

3.       Submit the final draft of the essay to the school by mail or by electronic submission in the required format.  See the Course Syllabus.

Caution: The essay requires evidence only form your experiences, not evidence from outside sources.  See the plagiarism policy, which will apply to any writer using information irresponsibly.

Note: Begin working on your next exam, but don’t submit the final draft until you receive the evaluation for this essay.  Remember your goal is to improve as a writer over the course of each assignment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Preparation for Examination 5

Defining and Analyzing

1.       Review Chapter 14, “Definition:  Explanation What You Mean” (pages 463-503).

2.       Review the tips for integrating cause and effect into an essay (pages 520-522).

3.       Review “Integrating Information from Sources” (pages 716-733).

Examination

Lesson 5: Defining and Analyzing

Examination Number: 050416

Whichever method you use in submitting your exam answers to the school, you must use the number above.

Objective

Write an extended definition essay of 700-1,000 words that incorporates cause and effect.

Topic

The topic is failure.

You’re competing this exam because, you earned a failing grade in your first attempt at English Composition.  In this case, failure refers to you not meeting a particular set of criteria.  Other types of failure may include not paying a bill on time or missing out on an opportunity.

Based on your experiences, define failure in your own words.  Using a dictionary and information found at http:/ / www.etymonline.coom/, include references to the root and etymology of the word “failure.”  Also provide a brief analysis of the causes and effects of failure in various areas of your life, including not earning a passing grade at your first attempt in this required course.

Patterns of Development

Use definition and causal analysis.

Purpose

The purpose is to inform readers about your definition of failure, as well as its primary cause and effects.

Audience

Your audience is fellow Penn Foster College students who are currently taking English Composition for the first time.

Process

1.       Work from “Discovering Causes and Effect” through “Identifying Primary Causes and Effects,” (pages 524-527).

2.       Turn to page 478 and work from “Generating Ideas” up to “Developing Your Thesis,” applying suggestions 2, 4, 5 and 6 from page 480.  For steps 4, use only your own dictionary and http:/ /www.etymonline.com/. Continue with “Developing Your Thesis: on page 480 and narrow your focus properly for the assigned length.  Then work through the rest of the “Guided Writing Assignment” to the middle of page 488. 

3.       To support your definition, incorporate information from your own dictionary and the given Web site using MLA attributions.  You must causal analysis but may also use strategies from any other patterns of development as appropriate.

4.       As part of the revising and editing analysis, make any necessary changes to your work to meet the assigned requirements, including the essay evaluation information.  See the Appendix.

5.       Provide a Works Cited page at the end of your assignment for your two sources.  See page 725 for how you should cite your dictionary.  Use the following example when listing the Web site.  Citations aren’t include in the required word count.

          Harper, Douglas.  “Failure.” Nov. 2001.  Online Etymology Dictionary. 20 Dec. 2008. http:/ /www,etymonline.com/index.php?search=failure&searchmode=none.

6.       Submit the final draft essay with the word cited page to the school by mail or by electronic submission in the required format.  See Course Procedures.

Notice: Begin working on your next exam but don’t submit the final draft until you receive the evaluation for this essay.  Remember your goal is to improve as a writer over the course of each assignment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparation for Examination 6

Arguing and comparing

1.       Review Chapter 16 and 17 (pages 555-636)

2.       Review the tips for integrating comparison and contrast into any essay (page 387)

 

Examination

Lesson 6: Arguing and Comparing

Examination Number: 050417

Whichever method you use in submitting your exam answers to the school, you must use the number above.

Note: This examination counts as the final exam for this course, so it’s worth 30 percent of your course grade.  You will not complete a separate proctored examination.

Objectives

Write an argument of 1,000-1,250 words that incorporates comparison and contrast.

Topic

Convince your readers either to enact or to stop the enactment of a law for one of the following:

v  According to the American Red Cross, someone needs blood every two seconds in the United States and to meet that need, six million blood donations are needed each year.  Most people are aware that hospitals depend on blood donations, but other than donors’ good will, there’s no certainty that blood will be available whenever it’s needed.  Should people be required to donate blood at least once a year if a doctor determines they’re physically capable of doing so?

 

v  Global positioning system units (GPS devices) are becoming increasingly popular.  In fact, more and more automobile manufacturers are including them as a standard feature in new vehicles to enable owners to access detailed directions from place to place and to track their automobile in case it’s stolen.  These units also provide an average ground speed.  Should states require that all vehicles be equipped with GPS units that transmit a signal that the Police can track in order to enforce speed limits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patterns of Development

Use argument with comparison/contrast and any other strategies you need to develop your thesis fully.

Purpose

The primary purpose is to persuade the readers to agree with your position.  The secondary purpose is to express your feelings about the readers taking action on the topic (secondary purpose)

Audience

Write to a neutral or wavering audience of your fellow citizens.  (Don’t write to an agreeing audience or to a disagreeing audience)

Process

1.       Work from “Choosing Subject to Compare” through “Discovering Similarities and Differences and Generating Details,” pages 389-391.

2.       Applying the given requirements, work through pages 606 to the top of 609 in the section Generating Ideas and Writing Your Thesis.  Skip the section entitled “Researching the Issue.”  Narrow the focus appropriately for the assigned length before attempting to develop the essay.

3.       Continue the Guided Writing Assignment with Developing Your Thesis and making a claim on page 610 through page 619.  Incorporate comparison and contrast as well as other patterns of development as needed to accomplish your purpose.

4.       As part of the revising and editing analysis, students must make any necessary changes to their work to meet the assigned requirements, including the essay evaluation information.  See Appendix.

5.       Submit the final draft of your essay to the school by mail or by electronic submission in the required format.  See Course Procedures.

Caution: The essay requires evidence only from your experience, not evidence from outside sources.  See the plagiarism policy, while applying to any writer using information irresponsibly.