Unit Two: Chapter 8
•
attest• enigma
• attribute
• exemplify
• discern • mobile
• dispatch
• nocturnal
• enhance
•
orient
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 attest
– verb
• Anyone who has seen the Golden Gate Bridge in the rose-gold
light of sunset can attest to its beauty.
• Witnesses attest to the fact that rainfall makes the ground of
Death Valley so slippery that boulders slide across it.
Attest means
A. to declare to be true.
B. to wish for.
C. to forget easily.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 attest
– verb
• Anyone who has seen the Golden Gate Bridge in the rose-gold
light of sunset can attest to its beauty.
• Witnesses attest to the fact that rainfall makes the ground of
Death Valley so slippery that boulders slide across it.
Attest means
A. to declare to be true.
B. to wish for.
C. to forget easily.
Seeing such a sight would enable one to declare the truth of the
beauty. People who are witnesses would be able to declare the
event to be true.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 attribute
– noun
• A three-hundred-page novel written in 1939 has the odd
attribute of containing no e, the most common letter in English.
• Some cars have computerized attributes such as windshield
wipers that automatically turn on when it rains.
Attribute means
A. a tendency.
B. a defect.
C. a characteristic.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 attribute
– noun
• A three-hundred-page novel written in 1939 has the odd
attribute of containing no e, the most common letter in English.
• Some cars have computerized attributes such as windshield
wipers that automatically turn on when it rains.
Attribute means
A. a tendency.
B. a defect.
C. a characteristic.
Not containing a single e is a characteristic of the novel. The second
item gives an example of a computerized characteristic of some cars.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 discern
– verb
• An experienced jeweler can easily discern whether a diamond is
genuine or fake.
• People who are red-green colorblind can discern the colors of
traffic lights by recognizing shades of gray.
Discern means
A. to see clearly.
B. to disregard.
C. to change.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 discern
– verb
• An experienced jeweler can easily discern whether a diamond is
genuine or fake.
• People who are red-green colorblind can discern the colors of
traffic lights by recognizing shades of gray.
Discern means
A. to see clearly.
B. to disregard.
C. to change.
If a jeweler is experienced, he or she would be able to see clearly
whether a diamond is genuine or fake. If red-green colorblind people
can recognize shades of gray, they would be able to see clearly the
colors of a traffic light.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 dispatch
– verb
• I wanted to dispatch the letter as quickly as possible, so I took it to
the post office instead of dropping it into a mailbox.
• At work Harold is treated like an errand boy. His boss often
dispatches him to the deli for sandwiches or donuts.
Dispatch means
A. to represent.
B. to send.
C. to drive.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 dispatch
– verb
• I wanted to dispatch the letter as quickly as possible, so I took it to
the post office instead of dropping it into a mailbox.
• At work Harold is treated like an errand boy. His boss often
dispatches him to the deli for sandwiches or donuts.
Dispatch means
A. to represent.
B. to send.
C. to drive.
A person would take the letter to the post office in order to send
it as quickly as possible. The boss would send Harold to the deli
for sandwiches or donuts.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 enhance
– verb
• Our gym teacher enhanced her appearance with a more attractive
hairstyle.
• The college catalogue stated that the writing course would
“enhance all students’ writing skills” by improving their
grammar and style.
Enhance means
A. to make better.
B. to recognize.
C. to reduce.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 enhance
– verb
• Our gym teacher enhanced her appearance with a more attractive
hairstyle.
• The college catalogue stated that the writing course would
“enhance all students’ writing skills” by improving their
grammar and style.
Enhance means
A. to make better.
B. to recognize.
C. to reduce.
A more attractive hairstyle would make the teacher’s appearance
better. In the second item, the word improving suggests that enhance
means “to make better.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 enigma
– noun
• How the thief entered our house was an enigma until we
remembered that the cellar door had been left unlocked.
• The “singing sands” of Scotland remained an enigma until
scientists learned that footsteps caused the round grains of sand
and the surrounding air pockets to make musical vibrations.
Enigma means
A. a comfort.
B. a puzzle.
C. an error.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 enigma
– noun
• How the thief entered our house was an enigma until we
remembered that the cellar door had been left unlocked.
• The “singing sands” of Scotland remained an enigma until
scientists learned that footsteps caused the round grains of sand
and the surrounding air pockets to make musical vibrations.
Enigma means
A. a comfort.
B. a puzzle.
C. an error.
How the thief entered the house would be a puzzle—until they
remembered the unlocked cellar door. Until scientists came up
with an explanation for the “singing sands,” the sands would
have been a puzzle.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 exemplify
– verb
• The many IRS employees who give citizens inaccurate
information exemplify governmental incompetence.
• Mr. Ramirez, who emphasizes original thinking and freedom of
expression, exemplifies the best in teaching.
Exemplify means
A. to illustrate.
B. to save.
C. to oppose.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 exemplify
– verb
• The many IRS employees who give citizens inaccurate
information exemplify governmental incompetence.
• Mr. Ramirez, who emphasizes original thinking and freedom of
expression, exemplifies the best in teaching.
Exemplify means
A. to illustrate.
B. to save.
C. to oppose.
Specific government employees who give inaccurate information
would illustrate general governmental incompetence. A teacher
who emphasizes original thinking and freedom of expression
would illustrate the best in teaching.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 mobile
– adjective
• My parents own a mobile home, which can be moved from place
to place.
• Every morning when I was in the hospital, a volunteer wheeled a
mobile library into my room.
Mobile means
A. active.
B. expensive.
C. moveable.
A mobile home
Photo: Amanda Bicknell/FEMA
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 mobile
– adjective
• My parents own a mobile home, which can be moved from place
to place.
• Every morning when I was in the hospital, a volunteer wheeled a
mobile library into my room.
Mobile means
A. active.
B. expensive.
C. moveable.
A mobile home being towed
to its destination
Photo: Amanda Bicknell/FEMA
If the home can be moved from
place to place, it must be moveable.
If the library was wheeled into the
patient’s hospital room, it must have
been a moveable library.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 nocturnal
– adjective
• I know when my brother has enjoyed one of his nocturnal feasts
because I find a stack of dishes in the sink in the morning.
• Since owls are nocturnal, they are rarely seen during the day.
Nocturnal means
A. noisy.
B. busy.
C. of the night.
A nocturnal street scene
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 nocturnal
– adjective
• I know when my brother has enjoyed one of his nocturnal feasts
because I find a stack of dishes in the sink in the morning.
• Since owls are nocturnal, they are rarely seen during the day.
Nocturnal means
A. noisy.
B. busy.
C. of the night.
A nocturnal street scene
If the dishes are in the sink the next
morning, the brother must have
snacked during the night. If owls are
rarely seen during the day, they must
be creatures of the night.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 orient
– verb
• When coming up from the subway, I often need to look at a street
sign to orient myself.
• Certain cars let drivers orient themselves in unfamiliar places
with the help of an electronic map that shows the car’s location.
Orient means
A. to locate.
B. to welcome.
C. to question.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 orient
– verb
• When coming up from the subway, I often need to look at a street
sign to orient myself.
• Certain cars let drivers orient themselves in unfamiliar places
with the help of an electronic map that shows the car’s location.
Orient means
A. to locate.
B. to welcome.
C. to question.
One would look at a street sign in order to locate oneself. In the second
item, the word location suggests that orient means “to locate.”
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. attest B. attribute
F. enigma
mobile
C. discern
G. exemplify
D. dispatch
H.
I. nocturnal
E.
J. orient en
hance
1. Fresh garlic may not __________ the breath, but it
certainly improves spaghetti sauce.
2. A witness _______(e)d to the truth of the defendant’s
claim that she had loved the murdered man.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. attest B. attribute
F. enigma
mobile
C. discern
G. exemplify
D. dispatch
H.
I. nocturnal
E.
J. orient en
hance
1. Fresh garlic may not __________
enhance the breath, but it
certainly improves spaghetti sauce.
The word improves tells you the meaning of enhance.
2. A witness __________
attested to the truth of the defendant’s
claim that she had loved the murdered man.
A witness would testify to the truth of the defendant’s statement.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. attest B. attribute
F. enigma
mobile
C. discern
G. exemplify
D. dispatch
H.
I. nocturnal
E.
J. orient en
hance
3. When I was younger, my mother used to __________
me to the store for milk or some missing cooking
ingredient as often as twice a day.
4. The lives of such reformers as Susan B. Anthony, Mahatma
Gandhi, and Martin Luther King __________ greatness.
5. Science does not have enough evidence to solve the
__________ of whether or not there is other intelligent life
in the universe.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. attest B. attribute
F. enigma
mobile
C. discern
G. exemplify
D. dispatch
H.
I. nocturnal
E.
J. orient en
hance
3. When I was younger, my mother used to __________
dispatch
me to the store for milk or some missing cooking
ingredient as often as twice a day.
The mother would send the child to the store.
4. The lives of such reformers as Susan B. Anthony, Mahatma
Gandhi, and Martin Luther King __________
exemplify greatness.
The lives of such reformers are examples of greatness.
5. Science does not have enough evidence to solve the
__________
enigma of whether or not there is other intelligent life
in the universe.
The question of other intelligent life is a mystery. The word solve is
a clue.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. attest B. attribute
F. enigma
mobile
C. discern
G. exemplify
D. dispatch
H.
I. nocturnal
E.
J. orient en
hance
6. The convicts decided on a(n) ________ escape. The
darkness would hide them as they fled through the forest.
7. Sue’s hairpiece is so natural-looking that it’s impossible
to __________ where the hairpiece ends and her own
hair begins.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. attest B. attribute
F. enigma
mobile
C. discern
G. exemplify
D. dispatch
H.
I. nocturnal
E.
J. orient en
hance
6. The convicts decided on a __________
nocturna escape. The
darkness would hide them asl they fled through the forest.
If the darkness would hide them, the escape must have been at night.
7. Sue’s hairpiece is so natural-looking that it’s impossible
to __________
where the hairpiece ends and her own
discern
hair begins.
If Sue’s hairpiece is natural-looking, it would be impossible to detect
where it ends and her own hair begins.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. attest B. attribute
F. enigma
mobile
C. discern
G. exemplify
D. dispatch
H.
I. nocturnal
E.
J. orient en
hance
8. The positions of the stars help sailors __________
themselves on the open seas.
9. My mother is unable to walk, but with her wheelchair she is
__________ enough to get around her apartment, move
along a sidewalk, and even shop at a mall.
10. Giant kelp, a form of seaweed, has some amazing
__________s. Not only is it the world’s fastest-growing
vegetable, but the more it is cut, the faster it grows.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. attest B. attribute
F. enigma
mobile
C. discern
G. exemplify
D. dispatch
H.
I. nocturnal
E.
J. orient en
hance
8. The positions of the stars help sailors __________
orien
themselves on the open seas.
t
The stars help sailors determine their location on the open seas.
9. My mother is unable to walk, but with her wheelchair she is
__________
enough to get around her apartment, move
mobile
along a sidewalk, and even shop at a mall.
If the mother moves along the sidewalk and shops at a mall, she
must be able to move about.
10. Giant kelp, a form of seaweed, has some amazing
___________.
Not only is it the world’s fastest-growing
attribute
vegetable,
but the more it is cut, the faster it grows.
s
The second sentence lists two amazing qualities of giant kelp.
Scarlet Letter Project
(Due January 14th/15th)
• Typed or NEATLY done by hand (aesthetic
value will be judged for every assignment)
• Must be contained in a folder or <1” binder
with the following on the front cover:
– Name
– Date
– Block
– Mrs. Browne
• Must total 100 points
Scarlet Letter Essay
•
•
•
•
•
(Due January 14th/15th)
Typed, double spaced, Times New Roman 12
pt. font
Must include the following in the right hand
corner:
– Name
– Date
– Block
– Mrs. Browne
Must have a title that relates to the essay
Must have your planning packet attached
Review the rubric posted on Ms. Browne’s
website for additional guidance
Developing a Strong Argument
The thesis statement or main claim
must be debatable
An argumentative or persuasive piece of
writing must begin with a debatable thesis
or claim. In other words, the thesis must be
something that people could reasonably
have differing opinions on. If your thesis is
something that is generally agreed upon or
accepted as fact then there is no reason to
try to persuade people.
Example of a non-debatable thesis
statement:
Pollution is bad for the environment.
This thesis statement is not debatable. First,
the word pollution means that something is
bad or negative in some way. Further, all
studies agree that pollution is a problem,
they simply disagree on the impact it will
have or the scope of the problem. No one
could reasonably argue that pollution is
good.
Example of a debatable thesis
statement:
At least twenty-five percent of the
federal budget should be spent on
limiting pollution.
This is an example of a debatable thesis
because reasonable people could disagree with
it. Some people might think that this is how we
should spend the nation's money. Others might
feel that we should be spending more money on
education. Still others could argue that
corporations, not the government, should be
paying to limit pollution.
Another example of a debatable thesis
statement:
America's anti-pollution efforts
should focus on privately owned
cars.
In this example there is also room for
disagreement between rational individuals.
Some citizens might think focusing on
recycling programs rather than private
automobiles is the most effective strategy.
The thesis needs to be narrow
Although the scope of your paper might
seem overwhelming at the start, generally
the narrower the thesis the more effective
your argument will be. Your thesis or claim
must be supported by evidence. The
broader your claim is, the more evidence
you will need to convince readers that your
position is right.
Example of a thesis that is too broad:
Drug use is detrimental to society.
There are several reasons this statement is too broad to argue. First, what
is included in the category "drugs"? Is the author talking about illegal drug
use, recreational drug use (which might include alcohol and cigarettes), or
all uses of medication in general? Second, in what ways are drugs
detrimental? Is drug use causing deaths (and is the author equating
deaths from overdoses and deaths from drug related violence)? Is drug
use changing the moral climate or causing the economy to decline?
Finally, what does the author mean by "society"? Is the author referring
only to America or to the global population? Does the author make any
distinction between the effects on children and adults? There are just too
many questions that the claim leaves open. The author could not cover all
of the topics listed above, yet the generality of the claim leaves all of
these possibilities open to debate.
Example of a narrow or focused thesis:
Illegal drug use is detrimental
because it encourages gang violence.
In this example the topic of drugs has been
narrowed down to illegal drugs and the
detriment has been narrowed down to gang
violence. This is a much more manageable
topic.
We could narrow each debatable thesis from
the previous examples in the following way:
Narrowed debatable thesis 1:
At least twenty-five percent of the federal
budget should be spent on helping upgrade
business to clean technologies, researching
renewable energy sources, and planting more
trees in order to control or eliminate
pollution.
This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by
specifying not just the amount of money used but
also how the money could actually help to control
pollution.
Narrowed debatable thesis 2:
America's anti-pollution efforts should
focus on privately owned cars because it
would allow most citizens to contribute to
national efforts and care about the outcome.
This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by
specifying not just what the focus of a national antipollution campaign should be but also why this is
the appropriate focus.
Qualifiers such as "typically," "generally," "usually,"
or "on average" also help to limit the scope of your
claim by allowing for the almost inevitable exception
to the rule.
Types of Claims
Claims typically fall into one of four
categories. Thinking about how you
want to approach your topic, in other
words what type of claim you want to
make, is one way to focus your thesis
on one particular aspect of you broader
topic.
Claims of fact or definition: These claims
argue about what the definition of something is
or whether something is a settled fact.
Example:
What some people refer to as global warming
is actually nothing more than normal, longterm cycles of climate change.
Claims of cause and effect:
These claims
argue that one person, thing, or event caused
another thing or event to occur.
Example:
The popularity of SUV's in America has caused
pollution to increase.
Claims about value: These are claims made
about what something is worth, whether we
value it or not, how we would rate or categorize
something.
Example:
Global warming is the most pressing challenge
facing the world today.
Claims about solutions or policies: These
are claims that argue for or against a certain
solution or policy approach to a problem.
Example:
Instead of drilling for oil in Alaska we should
be focusing on ways to reduce oil consumption,
such as researching renewable energy sources.
Which type of claim is right for your
argument?
Which type of thesis or claim you use for your
argument will depend on your position and
knowledge on the topic, your audience, and the
context of your paper. You might want to think
about where you imagine your audience to be on
this topic and pinpoint where you think the
biggest difference in viewpoints might be. Even
if you start with one type of claim you probably
will be using several within the paper.
Regardless of the type of claim you choose to
utilize it is key to identify the controversy or
debate you are addressing and to define your
position early on in the paper!
EXEMPLAR:
NON-EXEMPLAR
Main Topic: college tuition
Debatable Thesis: college tuition should
be government funded
Narrow Focus: college tuition should be
government funded so that students are
not forced to take out tremendously large
loans and go into debt
Claim Type and Example: cause and
effect of tuition loans on an individual’s
debt level
Final Strong Thesis: College tuition
prices in the United States need to be
government funded to prevent young
adults from entering into large scale debt
immediately out of college.
Main Topic: college tuition
Non-debatable Thesis: college tuition is
expensive
Broad Focus: expensive college tuition
impacts students while they are students
as well as after they graduate
Unrelated Claim Type and Example:
the value we place on college justifying
the cost
Final Weak Thesis: Expensive college
tuition is negatively impacting students.
Main Topics
• Global Climate Change
• Standardized Testing
• Immigration
• HealthCare
Persuasive Communication
• Three ways to persuade or appeal to your
audience:
– Logos – logic and reasoning
– Ethos – character, higher authority, ethics
– Pathos – Emotions
Persuasive Communication
• Logos:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Theories / scientific facts
Indicated meanings or reasons (because…)
Literal or historical analogies
Definitions
Factual data & statistics
Quotations
Citations from experts & authorities
Informed opinions
Examples (real life examples)
Persuasive Communication
• Ethos:
– Author’s profession / background
– Appearing sincere, fair minded, knowledgeable
– Conceding to opposition where appropriate
– Morally / ethically likeable
– Appropriate language for audience and subject
• Appropriate vocabulary
• Correct grammar
• Professional format
Persuasive Communication
• Pathos:
– Emotionally loaded language
– Vivid descriptions
– Emotional examples
– Anecdotes, testimonies, or narratives about
emotional experiences or events
– Figurative language
– Emotional tone (humor, sarcasm, disappointment,
excitement, etc.)
Metaphor
• a direct comparison of two unlike things
• a type of figurative language in which a
statement is made that says that one thing is
something else but, literally, it is not.
• EXAMPLE: It’s raining cats and dogs outside.
Simile
• a comparison of two things using like or as
• a type of figurative language, language that
does not mean exactly what it says, that makes a
comparison between two otherwise unalike
objects or ideas by connecting them with the
words "like" or "as.“
• EXAMPLE: Common contemporary similes are
“running like a bat out of hell” and “working
nonstop as if possessed.” Perhaps the best
known simile in English poetry is Robert Burns’s
line:
– “My love is like a red, red rose.”
Allusion
• a reference in a literary work to a person, place, or
thing in history or another work of literature.
Allusions are often indirect or brief references to
well-known characters or events. They are used to
summarize broad, complex ideas or emotions in one
quick, powerful image.
• EXAMPLE: Describing someone as a "Romeo" makes
an allusion to the famous young lover in Romeo and
Juliet by William Shakespeare.
Archetype
• a symbol, usually an image, which recurs
often enough in literature to be recognizable
as an element of one's literary experience as a
whole.
• EXAMPLES:
– The hero - The courageous figure, the one who's always running in
and saving the day. Example: Dartagnon from The Three Musketeers
– The outcast – A person that has been cast out of society or has left it
on a voluntary basis. Example: Piggy from The Lord of the Flies
– The scapegoat - The scapegoat is the one who gets blamed for
everything, regardless of whether he or she is actually at fault.
Example: Snowball from Animal Farm
Hyperbole
• an extravagant exaggeration.
• a figure of speech that is a grossly
exaggerated description or statement. In
literature, such exaggeration is used for
emphasis or vivid descriptions.
• EXAMPLE: I had so much homework, I needed
a pickup truck to carry all my books home!
Repetition
• a technique in which a sound, word, phrase, or
line is repeated for effect or emphasis.
• Example: “The Raven” – “Quoth the Raven,
‘Nevermore.’” OR “Penny, Penny, Penny”
Parallelism
• the use of similar grammatical constructions
to express ideas that are related or equal in
importance.
• EXAMPLE:
– The sun rises.
– The sun sets.
Rhetorical Question
• one asked solely to produce an effect or to
make a statement, but not expected to
receive an answer. The purpose to such a
question, whose answer is obvious, is usually
to make a deeper impression upon the hearer
or reader than a direct statement would.
• EXAMPLE: “How stupid do you think I am?”
Denotation/Connotation
• Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word, the
"dictionary definition."¨ For example, if you look up the
word snake in a dictionary, you will discover that one of
its denotative meanings is "any of numerous scaly, legless,
sometimes venomous reptiles having a long, tapering,
cylindrical body and found in most tropical and temperate
regions."
• Connotation, on the other hand, refers to the associations
that are connected to a certain word or the emotional
suggestions related to that word. The connotative meanings of
a word exist together with the denotative meanings. The
connotations for the word snake could include evil or danger.
Reason and Revolution
The Age of Reason
and
The American Revolution
The American Revolution
• 1775-1783
• American colonists revolt
against unfair taxation and
laws and break from British
rule
• When America breaks from
British rule, authors no
longer have publishers,
audience, or legal
protection and suffered
during the first stages of
rebuilding.
The American Revolution Cont...
• Patrick Henry, the most
famous orator (speaker)
of the American
Revolution, delivered a
fiery speech to convince
delegates of the need for
armed resistance.
• “Speech in the Virginia
Convention” led to The
Declaration of
Independence” and life
and freedoms as we know
it today.
The Political Pamphlet
• The most common and popular type of
literature
• Over 2,000 pamphlets were published during
the Revolution
• The most famous one was Thomas Paine’s
Common Sense that sold over 100,000 copies
in its first 3 months of publication.
Powerful Persuasion
• Most literature was persuasive trying to get
people to understand
– The wrongdoings of the British Government
– The politicians stands before elections
– The status of the war
– How America was to rebuild after the Revolution
What is an American?
• One of the major hurdles after the Revolutionary War
was trying to find an identity and defining what the
term “American” means.
• List 10 items that answer the questions “What does
being an American mean to you? What does the term
American mean to you?”
“Give Me Liberty
Or Give Me Death”
(adapted)
by Patrick Henry
St. John’s Church, Richmond, VA (March 23,
1775)
*Complete for Homework*