OUTSIDE READING
Every 6 weeks you will read a variety of self-selected texts, including news articles, editorials, short stories, poetry,
and essays. Each 6 weeks the tasks may be different, so please make sure you understand the assignment
requirements and the due date for the current 6 weeks. The purpose of this outside reading assignment is to keep
you aware of current events, both local and international, and to give you some choice regarding the texts that you
read and analyze.
For the current 6 weeks, you will complete 4 tasks: One local (Austin or Texas) expository news article, two
editorials, (can be local, national, or international) and one poem. In addition, all texts must somehow reflect a
connection to traditional dystopian themes. If you need to do a little research on dystopian elements, please do so.
Check out this link for a brief explanation.
The poems in the textbook should be adequate for this assignment, but if you want to find a selection elsewhere,
please make sure it is from an author of literary merit. Don't just do a google search for poems or you will find terrible
poetry. Our library has plenty of poetry collections as well. Articles can be found on appropriate major news sites, like
CNN, USA Today, Austin-American Statesman, Al-Jazeera, China Post, Japan Times, World Politics Review, and
others. Go to the library home page for even more resources. Editorials are usually in a separate section called
"editorials" or "opinion" and express a clear position on an issue. Articles found on celebrity tabloid publications are
usually not appropriate for this assignment, although other biographical feature articles are fine. Articles about sports
are okay as long as they are not simple game highlights. Let me know if you need help finding texts for this
assignment.
No late submissions will be accepted for this assignment. Of course, you may submit your work before this deadline. It
is recommended (and I prefer) that you copy/paste the questions into a google doc, then do all of your work in that
google doc (please type your responses in a different color or font so it is easy to follow), and then copy/paste back
into Elearn when the assignment is complete. I prefer this method over attaching files. Please turn this in as ONE
document/file, and don't forget to copy and paste the text of the articles so I can read them as well and so your
responses make sense to me. (You do not need to include the poems if they are from the textbook) Please make it
easy on me and keep everything neat, formatted, and organized. Your responses must reflect “AP” quality thought
and effort. Short, rushed, or shallow answers may not receive credit. All responses may be submitted to Turnitin.com
to deter copying and sharing.
QUESTIONS FOR EXPOSITORY ARTICLES: (a news report, a personal feature story, an informative article)
1. Where did you find this article? (provide the source)
2. What is the overall topic of the article?
3. Determine the PURPOSE of the article:
4. Paraphrase the content of the article, paragraph by paragraph. (ex: The author begins by providing background
information about the incident, and then gives a chronological account of what happened. Next, the author provides
testimony from two witnesses and the investigating officer. Finally, the article ends with some crime statistics for that
area over the last 10 years.)
5. Who is the intended audience? Who would be interested in this article?
6. Readability: (easy, medium, difficult) Explain.
7. Tone/approach: (serious, lighthearted, conversational, sarcastic, angry, informative, etc.) Identify and copy down
(direct quote) one sentence that you think does the best job of revealing the author’s emotion or tone toward this
subject. Use your tone vocabulary sheet for assistance.
8. Most interesting points or ideas (give 2-3):
9. Are there any graphics (pictures, charts) included? Describe them and their purpose.
10. Was this an effective article? Explain. Did it achieve its purpose?
QUESTIONS FOR EDITORIALS (OPINION, PERSUASIVE, ARGUMENTATIVE):
1. Where did you find this article? (provide the source)
2. What is the overall topic of the article?
3. Determine the PURPOSE of the article:
4. Paraphrase (put into your own words) the main argument of the article. (thesis)
5. Readability: (easy, medium, difficult) Explain.
6. Describe the tone/approach of the editorial. Identify and copy down (direct quote) one sentence that you think does
the best job of revealing the author’s emotion or tone toward the issue. (serious, lighthearted, conversational,
sarcastic, angry, informative, etc.) Is the tone appropriate and expected for this particular issue, or is it unexpected
and ironic in some way? Use your tone vocabulary sheet for assistance.
7. How does the author support his/her main point? (research, personal anecdotes, expert opinion, statistics,
explanations) Identify and categorize two examples. (direct quote)
8. What are two of the most convincing points the author makes in this article? Explain.
9. Identify and analyze a creative and memorable way the author tries to get the point across. This could be an
interesting comparison or a unique use of language. Then, explain why it stood out to you.
QUESTIONS FOR POETRY
Choose a poem to analyze. I recommend one from the textbook or from a respected poetry anthology. If the poem is
from the textbook you do not need to include it. Otherwise, please include the poem so I can read it as well. Then,
address the questions below. You must complete questions 1-4 first, and then choose 4 additional questions, based
on the strengths and qualities of the particular poem you have chosen. Finally, answer #18. Be sure to record the
title and author of the poem you have selected and where you found the poem. Also, please number each question
and answer in complete sentences. Your responses must be insightful and in-depth, and your analysis and
interpretations must be properly supported. You will not receive credit for shallow, hurried responses. Understand
that these generic questions were written so they could be applied to any poem, but you might find them difficult to
answer based on the poem you have chosen. Do your best and adjust the question or your answer if necessary.
Overall, you should be able to communicate how the author uses various poetic techniques to communicate the
meaning of the poem.
1.
Summarize/paraphrase the poem. What is the subject or topic? What is actually happening in the poem?
Describe the setting. (This will be easy for some poems and more difficult for others; do your best.)
2.
How does the author feel about the subject of the poem? (tone) What elements best reveal this tone? Does the
tone change, or are there multiple emotions throughout the poem? Explain. (use your tone vocabulary sheet to help
find the right words)
3.
Identify what you think is the most significant line or phrase of the poem, and explain your reasoning.
4.
Identify some major concepts, and comment on what you think the overall message or theme of the poem might
be. Which elements/images of the poem do the best job of communicating these ideas?
(now choose 4 of the questions below)
5.
Analyze the poet’s diction. What are some of the most powerful, unique, or unexpected uses of words? What
is the effect of these words? Is there a pattern?
6.
Consider the poem’s syntax. Does the poem break traditional rules of grammar? What effect might this have?
Is the punctuation significant? Explain.
7.
Create a possible (but reasonable) scenario/context which explains the author’s inspiration for the poem.
8.
Consider the figurative language in the poem (metaphor, simile, personification). How does it affect the poem?
9.
Are there any particular allusions or symbols? How do they enhance the meaning of the poem?
10. Analyze the most powerful imagery in the poem. Which of the five senses do they evoke? What is the effect of
this example of imagery?
11. Is there an identifiable speaker, persona, or voice, behind the poem? What can we infer about this persona?
12. What emotions does this poem evoke? How specifically is the poet accomplishing this?
13. What sound devices are being used? What effect do they have on the poem? (continued on next page)
14. Describe the overall mood of the poem, and how the author creates this mood.
15. Is there any significance to the structure of the poem? Explain.
16. Describe the meter, or rhythm of the poem. What effect does it have?
17. Consider the title of the poem. What does it say literally? Does it have any figurative or symbolic meaning? How
might it relate to the subject matter of the poem?
(now complete #18)
18. Write a brief personal reflection of/response to the poem. (How did you like it? Could you understand it or relate
to it? Etc.) Then, on a scale of 1-10, evaluate the poem and explain your evaluation.