2015-2016 School Year
11 th
Grade: AP English Language and Composition SUMMER ASSIGNMENT
MLA HELP: http://owl.english.purdue.edu
Ms. Jen Jacobs: jjacobs@cnusd.k12.ca.us
Ms. Ayesha Pedersen: apedersen@cnusd.k12.ca.us
**Students will be notified in July with the teacher they have been enrolled with for the 2015-16 school year.
*This school year will focus on nonfiction (personal essays, autobiographies/biographies, newspaper articles, etc). You will write MANY essays, including a research report.
Required Book : The Language of Composition : This book is provided by NHS. Please check this out prior to leaving on summer break from the Textbook Office. (Quizzes will be given once school resumes).
*Required by both Ms. Jacobs and Ms. Pedersen
Required Book: The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: This book is required by Ms. Jacobs only. Although students find it helpful to purchase their own copy so they may write in the margins (annotating) while completing the assignment, students may also find it online and write notes on additional sheets of paper or borrow a copy. Ms. Jacobs’ students will need a hard copy of this book for the first few weeks of class.
*Required by Ms. Jacobs only. Annotations/notes are due on the first day of school.
Recommended Book: AP English Language and Composition Study Guide : This can be purchased at any book store or online. Recommended: Kaplan, Barron’s, or Princeton Review (Kaplan seems to be a favorite).
Summer Assignment: Read pages 1-85 in The Language of Composition . Be prepared to discuss these pages during the first few weeks of school. It might be helpful to take notes; however, you are not required to. You do NOT have to do any of the assignments in this section for summer work. We will go over it in class.
*Required by both Ms. Jacobs and Ms. Pedersen
Read The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass . You will have an in-class essay the first week of school.
*Required by Ms. Jacobs only
Rhetorical Terms/Devices: You are responsible for familiarizing yourself with the terms associated with rhetoric.
Listed below are just some of the terms and devices you will encounter in this course.
Terms/Devices absolute- a word free from limitations or qualifications (best, all, unique, perfect) ad hominem- argument attacking an individual’s character rather than his/her position on an argument alliteration- repetition of initial consonant sounds allusion- reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that reader understands analogy- a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way anaphora- repetition of words/phrases at beginning of consecutive lines or sentences anecdote- brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event antecedent- the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers antithesis- a statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced aphorism- a concise statement that expresses a general truth/idea, often using rhyme or balance apostrophe- figure of speech when one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person archetype- an original model; detail, image, or character type occurring frequently

argument- statement of the meaning or main point of a literary work asyndeton- construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions balanced statement- sentence/words, phrases, or clauses are set off against each other to emphasize a contrast begging the question - fallacy that demonstrates a conclusion by means of premises that assume the conclusion; this fallacy occurs when one makes an argument which assumes a premise which is not explicitly stated. chiasmus- statement consisting of 2 parallel parts where the 2nd part is structurally reversed -ex- Susan walked in, and out rushed Mary. cliché- expression that has been overused colloquialism - informal words/expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing complex sentence- one independent clause and at least one dependent clause compound sentence - Two or more coordinate independent clauses (often joined by conjunctions) conceit- a fanciful, particularly clever extended metaphor concrete details- details that relate to or describe actual, specific things or events connotation- the implied or associative meaning of a word cumulative sentence- when the main independent clause is elaborated by modifying clauses/phrases declarative sentence - makes a statement or declaration deductive reasoning- a conclusion is reached by stating a general principle then applying it to a specific case denotation- literal meaning of a word dialect- variety of speech characterized by its own particular grammar/pronunciation (geographical region) dialogue- conversation between two or more people diction- word choice didactic- having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing dissonance- harsh, inharmonious, or discordant sounds elegy- a formal poem presenting a meditation on death or another solemn theme epic- long narrative poem written in elevated style/high positions & episodes epigram- a brief, pithy, and often paradoxical saying epigraph- a saying or statement on the title page of a work, or used as a heading for a chapter/section of a work epiphany- a moment of sudden revelation or insight epitaph- an inscription on a tombstone or burial place epithet- used to point out characteristics in a person; can be abusive or offensive but are not so by definition ethos - rhetorical appeal to the writer’s credibility; ethical eulogy- a formal speech praising a person who has died euphemism- an indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant expletive- an interjection to lend emphasis; sometimes a profanity figurative language - employing one or more figures of speech (simile, metaphor, etc..) foreshadowing- material presented so that a reader is prepared for what is to come later in the work frame device- a story within a story genre - a major category or type of literature homily- a sermon or moralistic lecture hubris- excessive pride or arrogance that results in the downfall of the protagonist in a tragedy hyperbole- intentional exaggeration to create effect idiom - expression in a given language that cannot be understood from the literal meaning of the word imagery- the use of figures of speech to create vivid images that appeal to the senses implication- a suggestion an author makes (implies) w/o stating it directly inductive reasoning- deriving general principles from particular facts or instances inference - a conclusion one draws (infers based on premises or evidence) invective- an intensely vehement, highly emotional verbal attack irony- use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs jargon- specialized language or vocabulary of a particular group or profession juxtaposition- placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast litotes- type of understatement in which an idea is expressed by negating its opposite logos - rhetorical appeal to logic malapropism- mistaken substitution of one word for another that sounds similar

maxim - a concise statement often offering advice; an adage metaphor- a direct comparison of two different things extended metaphor- series of comparisons within a piece of writing metonymy - figure of speech in which an attribute/feature is used to name/designate something mood - the emotional atmosphere of a work motif- a standard theme, element, or dramatic situation that recurs in various works narrative- a story or narrated account non-sequitur - an inference that does not follow logically from the premises (literally “does not follow”) sounds oxymoron- two words joined that contradict each other parable- a simple story that illustrates a moral or religious lesson paradox - an apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth parallelism- the use of corresponding grammatical or syntactical forms parody- a humorous imitation of a serious work pathos - rhetorical appeal to emotion pedantic- characterized by an excessive display of learning or scholarship periodic sentence- when the main clause is withheld until the end of the sentence philippic- a strong, verbal denunciation polemic- an argument against an idea usually regarding politics, philosophy, or religion polysyndeton- the use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural propaganda - negative term for writing to sway opinion rather than present information pun- a play on words red herring - information intended to be misleading or distracting from the actual issue rhetoric - the art of presenting ideas in a clear, effective, and persuasive manner rhetorical question- asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer sarcasm- harsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule satire- the use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or imperfections in social institutions scapegoat- a person or group that bears the blame for another scheme - figures of speech that deal with word order, syntax, letters, and sounds, rather than the meanings of words slippery slope - fallacy in which a person asserts that some event must inevitably follow from another without any argument for the inevitability of the event in question -ex- Event X has occurred (or will or might occur). Therefore event Y will inevitably happen. solecism- nonstandard grammatical usage; a violation of grammatical rules straw man - logical fallacy of a refutable position; misrepresenting then attacking opponent’s position surrealism- an artistic movement emphasizing the imagination and characterized by incongruous juxtapositions and lack of conscious control syllepsis- a construction in which one word is used in two different senses -ex-After he threw the ball, he threw a fit. syllogism- a three part deductive argument in which a conclusion is based on a major and minor premise synecdoche - using one part to represent the whole (ex-referring to a car as “wheels”) synesthesia- describing one kind of sensation in terms of another tautology- needless repetition which adds no meaning or understanding trite- overused and hackneyed trope - figures of speech with an unexpected twist in the meaning of words understatement- the deliberate representation of something as lesser in magnitude than it actually is vernacular- the everyday speech of a particular country or region often involving nonstandard usage zeugma - use of two different words in a grammatically similar way but producing different meanings -ex- His boat and his dream sank. He fished for compliments and for trout. She opened her home and her heart to the needy children.