Summer Assignment Pre-AP English I 2013-2014
Course Description: The Pre-Advanced Placement (AP) course is designed to increase each student’s ability to think and
communicate logically and effectively and develop insight into the human condition. To achieve these goals, we will
study multi-cultural and multi-dimensional literature, practice composition, speaking, listening, and usage skills, and
develop our vocabulary through a variety of activities. Because the Pre-AP course is a bridge to the AP program, students
will begin preparation for the AP examination through practice with AP-style testing strategies.
Welcome to Pre-AP English I! To become acquainted with the concepts and terminology we use, you will need to come
to class prepared to test and discuss the following material listed for each work and define and recognize examples of the
literary terms listed on the next page:
Step 1: You should begin your assignment by reading the following chapters in How to Read Literature Like a
Professor by Thomas C. Foster; then follow the reading of those chapters by reading Animal Farm by George
Orwell:
Chapter 1: “Every Trip is a Quest (Except When It’s Not)
Chapter 11: “…More Than It’s Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence”
Chapter 12: “Is That a Symbol?”
Chapter 14: “Yes, She’s a Christ Figure, Too”
Chapter 19: “Geography Matters…”
Chapter 25: “Don’t Read with Your Eyes”
Chapter 26: “Is He Serious? And Other Ironies”
Step 2: Please note: The chart below contains questions and terms with which you should be familiar. The
questions and terms will be the focus of class discussions and your first test.

Optional: If you wish to take notes and jot ideas to help with your class discussion and test on the material
above, you may use 15 note cards. The index cards may be used to answer questions and define terms.
A maximum of 5 points will be given on your first test for note cards.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster and Animal Farm by George Orwell
How to Read Literature Like a Professor
Thomas C. Foster
1. Chapter 1: What five things make up a
quest? What is the real reason for a
quest?
2. Chapter 11: What is violence? What is
the significance of literal violence? What
are the two categories of violence?
3. Chapter 12: What is an allegory? What
is the difference between symbolism and
allegory?
4. Chapter 14: What are the features of a
Christ figure?
5. Chapter 19: How is geography
significant to a work?
6. Chapter 25: “Don’t read with your eyes”
really means what? Does one always
need to agree with the author’s
viewpoint? Why or why not?
7. Chapter 26: Explain the concept of irony
and give examples.
Animal Farm
George Orwell
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Explain how the text includes the four different types of
conflict:
-man vs. man (animal)
-man vs. nature
-man vs. self
-man vs. society
Research the background for Animal Farm by
researching the Russian Revolution.
Choose three characters and identify their Russian
Revolution counterpart.
Paraphrase (explain what the following statements
means in your own words):
“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts
absolutely.”
“Lies can be dressed up as truth.”
Answer the following:
It has been said that knowledge is power. How would
knowledge have empowered the animals? Why was it
important for Napoleon to manipulate the animals into
believing Jones and Snowball were a common enemy?
Literary terms to know and recognize:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Anaphora – the repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses.
Asyndeton – the deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related clauses.
Antithesis – a contrast or opposition
Parallelism –refers to a grammatical or structural similarity between sentences or parts of sentences
Euphemism – the use of a word or phrase that is less expressive or direct but considered less distasteful.
Epistrophe – the repetition of the same word or group of words at the ends of successive clauses.
Polysyndeton – the deliberate use of many conjunctions for special emphasis.
Description of the Pre-AP student:
The caliber of student is the main emphasis when determining who will be successful in the AP English program. A PreAP student must be willing, if necessary, to sacrifice extracurricular and/or social activities for the sake of learning.
He/She is expected to
 understand that the Pre-AP course is more rigorous than other English classes and could require a minimum of
45-60 minutes of outside preparation (i.e. reading or homework) for each class period,
 understand that a Pre-AP student’s primary concern is learning, not simply making “good” grades,
 eagerly and cheerfully accept all course work as assigned by the teacher,
 learn independently, as well as through teacher instruction, spending time in and out of class on the assigned
tasks, observing all assigned deadlines without fail,
 need no redirection or instruction from the teacher regarding paying attention, wasting time, or disturbing the
class or classmates,
 finish all work within the prescribed time limits,
 refuse to miss or be late to class except in the rarest of emergencies, and, in such events, to be responsible for
doing all that is necessary to “catch up”,
 understand that success in this Pre-AP course requires critical thinking and independent study skills, thus creating
a level of difficulty far greater than that of other courses,
 handle mature subjects, which are in some literary selections, with the utmost level of decorum and maturity, and
 understand that success in any AP course requires a high mastery of content level skills prior to the beginning of
that course.
Feel free to contact the following Pre-AP English I teachers as questions arise; however, please note that responses may
take up to three days to be received. Don’t wait until the week before school starts to seek help! Thanks for your hard
work; we look forward to meeting you in the fall!
Erica Garrett, erica.garrett@bisd.net
Shirley Grohmann, shirley.grohmann@bisd.net
McCall Hundl, mccall.hundl@bisd.net