Summer Reading for 11 AP with Mr. Bruton
Mandatory Work:
Puleo, Stephen
The Dark Tide
Choose One:
McCourt, Frank
Angela’s Ashes
Hillenbrand, Laura
Unbroken
Given to you before you leave
for summer. Please get one if
you have not already.
Please get on your own. The ebook versions are fine to read, but
they sometimes are difficult to use
for review, so getting the book may
be easier.
For our summer reading project, please read your books in July and August and complete
each reader-response section.
FIRST ASSIGNMENT: Write a response journal to the works you are reading. Write in
sentence and paragraph form. This response journal should not become a plot summary
of chapters. I already know you can summarize and can research someone else’s ideas or
answers; you wouldn’t be here if you couldn’t. Write about your opinions, your feelings,
your projections of what may occur, etc. Compare the situation with another in the world
today or historically, or something similar that happened to a family member. Write with
some intelligence and some passion.
How much should you write? Group the chapters together logically, but it’s up to you,
such as Chs. 1-3, 4-5, 6-10. Write enough that you discuss a cover about two events or
topics in the chapters read. Please write immediately after reading a few chapters, so it’s
fresh in your memory. I expect three pages for each section and three sections for
The Dark Tide (9 pages) and four sections for either Angela’s Ashes or Unbroken (12
pages).
However, writing too much is also a flaw, so don’t hand me something that will take me
three hours to read. I expect to take about 30 minutes to read each person’s work, make
notes, and evaluate your success. So, 3 ½ pages for each section? Fine. 2 ½ pages is a
little short and you’ll lose points. 6 pages each- your way over, and you’ll lose points.
* To ensure everything is fair, you must type this in Times New Roman (or something
similar) in 12 pt. font, double-spaced with 1” margins, an MLA standard.
SECOND ASSIGNMENT: To quote the College Board AP Manual:
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“Stylistic development is nurtured by emphasizing the following:
a wide-ranging vocabulary, used appropriately and effectively;
a variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordination
and coordination [such as parallel structure];
logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence,
such as repetition, transitions and emphasis;
a balance of generalization and specific illustrative detail; and
an effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and
maintaining voice, and achieving appropriate emphasis through diction and
sentence structure.
Note: When students read, they should become aware of how stylistic effects are
achieved by writers’ linguistic choices.
Therefore, I want you to notice the writers’ style and discover eight sentences from the
two works that, stylistically, are marvelous! You realize somehow that the use of
language is amazing, and you want to share these. (You usually realize how well a writer
has expressed an idea when you think, I wish I had written that! or it’s a WOW moment.)
Write each great sentence in pen on one side of an index card. Include an MLA
citation after the quote such as this: (McCourt 117); it’s simply author and page number.
On the back, write you name, and discuss what you know about the style of the quote,
and cite the criteria listed above. (This is will a very minor part of the summer reading
grade, but I do not expect you to cite terms often taught in an AP class, so don’t start
stressing and looking things up. What do you know? Parallel structure? LE’s? What else?
Three verb phrases?)
In September, we will discuss the index cards and then the reading, I will hopefully teach
you something, and then you will write a personal narrative and an argument inspired by
topics featured in these works.
Due: Monday, August 17th by noon to the CHS Main Office secretary.
A box should be clearly labeled. (Yes, if you hand it in earlier, let’s say
the Friday before school opens for sports, you will impress me.)
Note: Plagiarism will be dealt with severely. Stay away from all sites.
If you should have questions or problems (and it’s ok to ask for help), please contact Mr.
Bruton at the school website address. Earlier is always better than later.
6/2015