WEEK 6

WELCOME!

This is another catch-up opportunity. You'll have TWO weeks to get this work done.

1. Chapter 22 in the GREEN textbook deals with common usage problems. Some of these issues involve the use of words that sound similar but are different words--affect and effect, for example. (You'll recognize that pair from the LBGB work last week. These exercises are similar but cover a lot more usage problems; yes, we'll be skipping LBGB this week.) Others are simply conventions that developed over time to become accepted usage in standard English (no logical rule to point to--you just need to know how to use the word). We'll work through a handful of these exercises. As you'll see, the exercises apply to particular alphabetical sections of the glossary. Be sure to refer to these before (or while) you do the work. 

The corrections and review cover all of the exercises.  

a.  ex 1, p.699
b.  ex 3, p.702
c.  Rev A, p.702
d.  ex 4, p.705
e.  ex 5, p.709


2. SAT persuasive essay analysis:
Before we write ACT style essays, we're going to take a couple of weeks and look at the SAT essay. This one acts as a good bridge between the persuasive essays you've been writing and the analytical essays you will be writing for the ACT. The SAT essay is different in that it has you analyze a persuasive piece of writing. The ACT will have you analyze and synthesize three different positions on a debatable issue.
Go to HERE for this week's writing assignment.

3. You may need to revise your Oppo Essay and/or the Context & Framing from last week.





EVERYTHING'S DUE NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT.

Have a great two weeks!

WEEK 5

Good morning! 

YOUR WORK:

1. Complete practice test D (Read the stuff below before you start!). No ACT q set this time--we'll do the whole test instead. I would suggest printing the test out rather than doing it from the computer. It's better practice for the real thing.

Some things to be mindful of:

a. There's no time limit for this test, but because the ACT limits you to 45 minutes for this section, you want to be aware of how you're doing in terms of pace. I suggest setting a time and noting where you're at in the test at the 45 minute mark. Don't stop there, just note it. As you do the practice ACT q sets for the remaining weeks, work toward getting them finished in 8 or 9 minutes max. You may be there already. If so, great. The idea is that when you sit down to take the official test, the clock will not be something to make you anxious. You should be familiar enough with your pace to not even have to think about timing.

b. Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed. Your official testing environment will be extremely quiet (as in no head phones!). You need to get used to that.

c. Keep careful score when you watch the review video. I'll explain then how to calculate a raw ACT score (the 1-36 number that ACT uses to report your score).

d. Don't use anything other than your brain to help answer the questions.

e. Take the test in ONE SITTING, and keep all electronic devices--phones, ipods, watches, whatever--in another room. These are the conditions you'll find at your official test site. Your practice needs to be as close to the real thing as possible. A wall clock is fine.

Corrections, review, and scoring video. 

2. LBGB...

• Read the "Style and Usage" section of chapter 3. 
• Look at these usage pairs and write a correct sentence using each (You may use my examples as models, but write your own):

            a. affect / effect
            b. assure / ensure / insure
            c. compose / comprise
            d. farther / further
            e. i.e. / e.g.
            f. me / myself

3. Watch this video on context and framing and revise your Facial Recognition essay by adding context and framing. Yes, you already have a final score on that essay. I'll treat it like a separate exercise and include it in the week 5 work score. (Some of you may have already done this per my comments last week. If you did it well, then you're done.) 

4. ACT Essay #3...
Choose either the Helmet Law or Facial Recognition prompts and write the essay from the OPPOSITE POSITION from what you wrote earlier. That's right--you may be writing from a position you don't actually believe in. That's ok. We're practicing the persuasive mode of discourse; fake it persuasively.

Here's a reminder of grading criteria:

• context and framing (watch the video above!)
• clear position statement in first P
• full arguments in each P
• counter-argument mentioned and knocked down (this can be one or more of your 3 body P's)
• overall, solid persuasive writing

Everything is DUE FRIDAY @ midnight. 

WEEK 4

YOUR WORK:

DUE FRIDAY at midnight. Report your scores and include the summaries in the MISC section of your google doc. I apologize in advance: you have to listen to me talking at you a lot this week.


1. ACT Q set (Passage II beginning "Jane Austen's reputation...")  Corrections and review.

2. Watch this video on subjects.

3. Ex 7, p508 and ex 9, p510. For each sentence in both exercises, do these 3 steps: 
a. identify it as action or description;  
b. identify the subject (watch for compounds; you may have more than one subject);  
c. identify the verb (an action if the sentence is about action, a linking verb if it's about description).  
Corrections and review. 

4. Read the blog post called "Actives Speak Louder." I wrote this for copy writers, but it's still a good introduction to passive and active voice. Write a short summary of the post (50-100 words).

5. Now read the post called "Please, Ink Responsibly." This one points out situations where the passive voice is helpful. Write a short summary of the post (50-100 words, and be sure to include examples). 

6. Read p.633-635 and do exercises 6 and 7. Corrections and review. 

7. Revise the Facial Recognition essay.

8. No new essay this week and no LBGB, just a lot of me talking. 

Have a great week!