Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Complex-Compound Sentences

Who Wants to be a Millionaire????
Play "Rags to Riches" and test your sentence structure knowledge here:


http://www.quia.com/rr/126726.htmlhttp://www.quia.com/rr/126726.html


LATE BREAKING NEWS: The site below isn't working as of 9 PM on 10/27.  Go to the link below, instead. It looks different, but it's the really the same quiz. 

http://faculty.valleycollege.net/apal/sentence-type_quiz.htm


Here is a less exciting (but still valuable) way to check your understanding:

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/sentence_types_quiz.htm 

Don't forget to click "Submit Application" at the bottom. You should get a correction of your errors w/an explanation.



For extra credit, email me with the answer to this question in the subject line: What is the date of Armistice Day? But that's not all.
To get the  extra credit, also explain the meaning of Armistice Day in the email.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Tempus Fugit*

* Time flies. I said I would post another example of a Q & R here. You've probably (!) already written your Q & R (FD due tomorrow).

Here's an example of a Q & R using the QACCOS strategy. Note that I'm only sharing the response, not the other information I've asked you to include in the skinny left-hand column. Also, if you do QACCOS, you need to respond much more fully than I have here.

Quote: "  'It had a spell put on it by an old fakir,' said the sergeant-major, 'a very holy man. He wanted to show that fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow.'  "

Question:  Who was this "fakir"? What did he look like, and where did he come from?

Appreciation: I really like this word "fakir." I expect it's somehow connected to the idea of a person being fake, even though he was a religious man.

Connection: This reminds me of a conversation I had with my brother the other day. We were talking about the difference between fate, luck, and free will. He believes that everything in life is predetermined, but I think luck and free will figure in, too.

Confusion: I don't understand why the fakir had the paw of a monkey in the first place. Where did he even get such a thing, and why would he use that particular item to get his point across? Also, I don't understand what the relationship between Mr. White and the sergeant major is.

Observation:  I notice that the sergeant-major has a commanding presence--a kind of control over the group. He seems to have survived some trauma that he doesn't want to talk about. (Notice that this isn't directly connected to the quote, but more to the context around the quote. That's perfectly ok. Sometimes the quote just becomes a springboard to other ideas, and they can lead in different directions. Just go with it and see what comes up in your writing.)

Speculation:  I predict that we'll have a discussion in class about this story on Tuesday.

I hope that helps, even if it's late.

See you Tuesday.



 

Thursday, October 13, 2011

"The Monkey's Paw"

Consider the fakir’s statement that “fate ruled people’s lives, and those 
who interfered with it did so to their sorrow.”
Vocab:


1. condoling        v.     expressing sympathy
2. rubicund         adj.  a red or ruddy complexion
3. visage            n.     face
4. fakir              n.     a Hindu religious person--usually knows magic
5. presumptuous  adj.  acting on assumption
6. Arabian Nights n.     collection of Mid. Eastern folk tales
7. antimacassar   n.     a small cloth placed on the backs of chairs to help keep them clean
8. talisman         n.     an amulet or charm
9. simian            adj.  monkey-like
10. prosaic          adj. commonplace
11. credulity        n.    gullibility
12. bibulous        adj.  fond of drink
13. furtively        adv. secretively
14. fusillade        n.    a rapid outburst in quick succession
15. doughty         adj. brave

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Grammar...

Chompchomp.com is my favorite grammar website. Bookmark it for future reference.


You can get extra credit for visiting these sites.
Follow directions, then scroll down to find out how to earn the EC.


1. Review comma splices and fused sentences. Fused sentences = run-ons.   Go to this site:
http://www.chompchomp.com/exercises.htm and do Exercise 1 online. 


2. If you were unclear today about main (independent) and subordinate (dependent) clauses, go to this page and review them.


http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/mainclause.htm


http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/subordinateclause.htm






Stop when you get to the part about relative clauses!














3.To test yourself on clauses, try this basic online exercise:


http://www.myschoolhouse.com/courses/O/1/56.asp



4. More clause practice:


http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/indep_clause_quiz.htm

For extra credit, email me with the name of the author of this poem: Fire and Ice.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

"Tell-Tale Heart" Police Report

RD due: Tuesday, Oct. 11
FD due: Thursday, Oct. 13 


Instead of posting the example I shared with you in class today, I've listed some examples for showing writing and links to sites that will help you get a sense of an authentic police report.




Showing Language vs. Telling Language
  • What kind of police person are you? Compassionate? Aggressive? Loud? Patient? New at your job? An older, seasoned veteran? How will you convey these traits?
  • What about the suspect? How can you accurately capture his emotions as expressed through his actions?
Make a point of using "showing language," not "telling language." If you tell someone something, it doesn't involve much detail, and s/he won't be able to imagine it clearly. What you've shared remains an abstract idea. However, if you show what you mean to say through vivid detail, you give evidence (details) that make the image concrete.


Think of showing language as writing that could be recorded or filmed. In other words, it could be proven by any of the senses (taste, touch, sound, sight, smell).


Examples:


Telling:
The soldier was impressive. (Note: If possible, avoid beginning with "S/he was...")


Showing:
Ed, a stocky, barrel-chested man in his thirties, marched into the room and took command of the situation as he announced in his booming voice, "Alright. Attention, everyone."


Telling: 
He was nervous.


Showing:
Arms flailing, he paced the length of the room wildly. Finally, he sat in the ancient, rickety chair I offered him, but his left eye twitched uncontrollably. Hearing him speak was painful; his voice quivered, and words came slowly as if he were just  recovering long-lost language skills.


Telling:
The car went around the corner.


Showing:
The sleek beast of a car careened violently around the corner at Ojai Ave. and Signal Street, leaving only a streak of light and a gasp of exhaust in its path.




Writing a Police Report:


If you're interested in writing a more authentic-seeming police report, check these links:

"How to Write a Police Report"
http://www.ehow.com/how_4441251_write-police-report.html



"How to Write a Great Police Report"
http://www.ehow.com/how_5461354_write-great-police-report.html

"How to Write a Police Report Narrative"
http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_6063691_write-police-report-narrative.html



Extra Credit: Email me with this in the subject line: Yogi Bear.
 

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Poe Comic Strip

Instead of doing a comic strip version of "The Raven," we'll be doing one for "Tell-Tale Heart."

Here's an inspiring example for
"Murder in the Rue Morgue."
Here's the link to the comic book, which you have to view page by page.

http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.com/2009/01/murders-in-rue-morgue-morella.html

Scroll down below Edgar's picture to see it.

If you want to listen to "Murder in the Rue Morgue," you can download it for free here:



It's long, but good.




For extra credit, email me with the word orangutan in the subject line. Please spell it correctly.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Really, Truly Understanding "The Raven"

Here's a link that will really help clarify any parts of the poem that are unclear to you:

http://www.shmoop.com/the-raven/stanzas-1-2-summary.html

This should play the Vincent Price video we saw today in class:





Here's a link to the biographical video of  Poe we watched in class on Tuesday:

BIography: Edgar Allan Poe - Full Episode - Edgar Allan Poe Videos - Biography.com

Oh, and if you want extra credit, email me with this in the subject line: 
Felix the Cat