HSPA Skill Building Options
Already, each of you have or will have completed assessments for each writing category on the
HSPA:
 Narrative reading and open-endeds: “The Flowers” by Alice Walker
 Persuasive reading and open-endeds: “Bloodshed and Invective in Arizona” The New York
Times
 Persuasive essay (visual argument)
 Expository essay: in-class essay and evaluation
Based on your diagnostic HSPA scores from sophomore year, you will also complete 4 exercises
from the list below.
Open-ended Practice:
In an effort to save paper, I am not copying the readings; please print them in class if you do not
finish working on these assignments in class—no excuses will be accepted! Anyone working with
open-ended questions alone will be required to revise 1-2 sets of responses.
“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin (narrative)
1. Consider Mrs. Mallard's reaction to her husband's passing.
a. What does Mrs. Mallard come to realize about her marriage?
b. How does Mrs. Mallard view her husband?
2. “When the doctor came they said she had died of heart disease—of the joy that kills.”
a. What is the irony of this statement?
b. How is it possible for joy to be destructive?
“The Vendetta” by Guy de Maupassant (narrative)
1. Throughout the story, the author gives details to build tension in the tale.
a. What details add to the tension of the story?
b. How do these details affect the readers’ perception of events and characters, OR,
what details are missing that could change our perceptions?
2. The last line reads, “That night she slept well.”
a. What does the author mean by this?
b. Condemn or defend widow Saverini’s actions. Be sure to use details from the text to
support your response.
"Don't censor Mark Twain's N word" The Miami Herald (persuasive)
1. The author of the article is opposed to replacing the “N word” with the word “slave”.
a. Why is the word “slave” considered worse by some?
b. What is the value in preserving the original text?
2. Your school has just decided to buy and teach the censored version of Huck Finn.
a. Do you support this decision? Why or why not?
b. Is it beneficial to deal with controversial issues in the classroom? Why or why not?
"There's Something Wrong With Evil" The New York Times (persuasive)
1. Refer to the last 2 paragraphs of the article. In recognizing an advantage of the position
offered in the article, the author writes. “And that view demands humility, since it holds as
true for us as it does for our enemies.”
a. What does the author mean by this?
b. How might if affect you if you adopted this position?
2. The article argues that to judge evil men by their actions leads to moral absolutism (there is a
clear, universal definition of right and wrong)
a. What is the problem with moral relativism, according to the article?
b. How might a moral relativist refute the author’s position?
Persuasive Essay Options:
 Prompt: The principal at your school has instituted random bookbag and locker checks to
keep the school weapon and drug/alcohol free. Anyone found with any of these things will
be immediately suspended. Write a well-developed argument for or against this procedure.
 Revise prompt with gloss notes
 2nd (unrevised) prompt: The school board is considering changing the time that the high
school opens; rather than school begin at 7:35, it would start at 8:35. Of course, school
would also be an hour longer. Argue for or against this change.
Expository Essay Options:
 Prompt: In The Crime of Sylvester Bonnard, French writer Anatole France writes, “To know is
nothing at all; to imagine is everything”. Why might one argue that imagination is more
valuable than facts? Using an example from science, literature, history, science, film or your
own experience or observation, write an essay analyzing the worth of an imagination.
 Revise prompt with gloss notes
 2nd (unrevised) prompt: One author wrote, “It is easy to imagine that events and experiences
in our lives will be perfect, but no matter how good something turns out to be, it can never
live up to our expectations…For that reason, we should make sure our plans and goals are
modest and attainable. We are much better off when reality surpasses our expectations and
something turns out better than we thought it would.” Is it best to have low expectations
and to set goals we are sure of achieving? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your
point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from
your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
The written portion of your final exam will be one of these categories. In fact, it will be in the category in which you
need the most improvement—your exam writing is your chance to show how much you have developed your skills. So,
the more effort you put in now, the better your exam grade will be!