English III AP Language and Composition
Expectations and Summer Reading Guide (2013)
Welcome to English III AP - a writing-intensive course that focuses primarily on nonfiction reading.
In an effort to prepare you for what will surely be an exciting, challenging, and productive year, we want to
make sure that you understand our expectations of you and the class.
Please feel free to contact us over the summer with questions.
Sincerely,
Nicole Avadek, Kristy Marshall, Laurie McGowan, and Joel Walsh
Entering Required Skills and Attitudes Leading to Success
Students should
• have mastered a variety of methods for developing major claims and sub-claims in a well-organized
essay.
• enjoy reading and writing.
• actively participate in discussions about literature and writing.
• be willing to re-read difficult material in order to understand it at a literal level, at least.
• seek and accept constructive criticism about their writing.
Major Activities
Students will
• read a survey of nonfiction and fictional work in American literature.
• write frequent timed essays on a variety of topics.
• study tone, diction, audience, argument appeals, purpose, and other rhetorical devices.
• read, analyze, and imitate works by a variety of writers.
• compile a portfolio of representative works and reflect upon its contents.
• learn and demonstrate proficiency in interpreting footnotes and bibliographic information.
Challenges
Students will be expected to
• write carefully and thoughtfully at all times.
• read essays written for sophisticated readers (audiences older than themselves).
• apply their learning in other courses to this one, since much of the subject matter will draw on
understandings of history, the sciences, the arts, and current events.
• maintain interest in a piece of their own writing over time and be willing to revise
• actively participate in small group and class discussions in an effort to raise questions, share insights,
and analyze texts.
• prepare for the AP English Language and Composition test in May.
In order to help prepare you for this year, you are expected to complete TWO summer assignments to
submit on the first day of school. You are also expected to read one book from the Maine West summer
reading list.
Summer Assignment #1:
Create a note card for each rhetorical device in the packet which is located on the Maine West web site under
“Summer Reading,” and “English III AP.”
Write the rhetorical device on one side of the note card and record the definition and example on the back side.
Summer Assignment #2:
Read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Complete five journal entries; read the directions and model below.
Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood (Vintage International version published in 1994)
In this introductory assignment for AP English Language and Composition, you will focus on a critical
analysis of a self-selected passage. You will examine how the author makes language choices to express his
tone toward a specific subject.
TONE is the author's attitude toward the subject or theme and is revealed through specific
stylistic choices.

Read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, and complete the journal entries in the provided chart.

The journal entries will be graded for completion as well as for thorough and thoughtful analysis.

The journal entries are due on the first day of school. Please TYPE the responses. They will be used as
we discuss Capote’s use of language to convey a specific purpose and effect.
Model:
Passage: “But Dick became convinced that Perry was that rarity, a ‘natural killer’—absolutely sane, but
conscienceless, and capable of dealing, with or without motive, the coldest-blooded deathblows. It was Dick’s
theory that such a gift could, under his supervision, be profitably exploited. Having reached this conclusion, he
had proceeded to woo Perry, flatter him—pretend, for example, that he believed all the buried treasure stuff and
share his beachcomber yearnings and seaport longings, none of which appealed to Dick, who wanted ‘a regular
life,’ with a business of his own, a house, a horse to ride, a new car, and ‘plenty of blond chicken.’ It was
important that Perry not suspect this—not until Perry, with his gift, had helped further Dick’s ambitions.” (55)
Journal Response: It is during this passage that Capote reveals Dick’s true feelings for Perry. The reader
discovers that Dick is simply using Perry for his “gift” of being “conscienceless” and being a “’natural killer’”
that Dick believes will help “further” his “ambitions.” Capote creates a sympathetic feeling towards Perry as he
shows that he is being “profitably exploited,” by Dick trying—and succeeding—to “woo Perry, flatter him,”
instead of actually wanting to be his friend. Capote shows that Dick is willing to do whatever he can to get Perry
to perform “the coldest-blooded deathblows,” by pretending to “share his beachcomber yearning and seaport
longings,” that Perry has had for most of his life. Dick, though is already shown to be a cruel, almost heartless,
person, is thoroughly established in this passage; the one person he truly looks after is himself, and his
relationship with Perry isn’t much of a relationship or friendship at all.
Journal Entry Prompts
Specific Textual Evidence
Journal Response
Record the passage and page
number
Provide at least one specific
adjective to describe Capote's
attitude toward the given subject;
then, explain how the selected
passage supports that
interpretation. Type responses.
See the model on the previous
page.
1. Find at least one passage that
describes Capote's attitude toward
the town of Holcomb.
2. Find at least one passage that
describes Capote's attitude the
Clutter Family (collectively or
individually).
3. Find at least one passage that
describes Capote's attitude toward
Perry Smith.
4. Find at least one passage that
describes Capote's attitude toward
Dick Hickock.
5. Final at least one passage that
describes Capote's attitude toward
Dick and Perry's relationship.