Grammar and Composition Composition Practice Grade 11
Grammar and Composition
Composition PracticeGrade 11
Copyright 2001 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce material contained herein on the condition that such material bereproduced only for classroom use; and be provided to students, teachers, and familieswithout charge; and be used solely in conjunction with Writers Choice. Any other reproduction, for use or sale, is prohibited without written permission of the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America.
Send all inquiries to:Glencoe/McGraw-Hill8787 Orion PlaceColumbus, Ohio 43240
ISBN 0-07-823291-0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 055 04 03 02 01 00
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
ii
AcknowledgmentsGrateful acknowledgment is given authors, publishers, and agents for permission toreprint the following copyrighted material. Every effort has been made to determinecopyright owners. In the case of any omissions, the Publisher will be pleased to makesuitable acknowledgments in future editions.p. 3 from Covered Wagon Women: Diaries & Letters from the Western Trails
18401890 edited & compiled by Kenneth L. Holmes. Copyright 1990 byKenneth L. Holmes. Published by The Arthur H. Clark Company.
p. 8 from Away Goes Sally by Elizabeth Coatsworth. Copyright 1934 by TheMacmillan Company. Published by The Macmillan Company.
p. 21 from The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial by Herman Wouk. Copyright 1954 byHerman Wouk. Used by permission of Doubleday, a division of BantamDoubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.
p. 29 from Max Perkins, Editor of Genius by A. Scott Berg. Copyright 1978 by A.Scott Berg. Used by permission of the publisher, Dutton, an imprint of NewAmerican Library, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc.
p. 46 from Elements of Argument: A Text and Reader by Annette T. Rottenberg.Copyright 1985 by St. Martins Press, Inc. Published by St. Martins Press.Reprinted by permission of the author.
p. 52 from The Death of the Moth and Other Essays by Virginia Woolf. Copyright 1942 by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. Published by Harcourt BraceJovanovich, Inc.
Personal Writing1.1 Writing to Discover I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.1 Writing to Discover II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.2 Writing in a Journal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.3 Writing to Learn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41.4 Writing a Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.5 Writing a College Application Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61.6 Writing About Literature: Writing About Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71.7 Writing About Literature: Writing About Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Writing Process2.1 Writing: A Five-Stage Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92.2 Prewriting: Finding Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102.3 Prewriting: Questioning to Explore a Topic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112.4 Prewriting: Audience and Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122.5 Prewriting: Observing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132.6 Drafting: Achieving Unity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142.7 Drafting: Organizing an Essay I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152.7 Drafting: Organizing an Essay II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162.8 Drafting: Writing with Coherence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172.9 Revising: Using Peer Responses I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182.9 Revising: Using Peer Responses II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192.10 Editing and Presenting: Completing Your Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202.11 Writing About Literature: Analyzing a Character in a Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Descriptive Writing3.1 Creating Vivid Description I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223.1 Creating Vivid Description II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233.2 Using Sensory Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243.3 Creating a Mood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253.4 Writing a Character Sketch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263.5 Describing an Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273.6 Writing About Literature: Writing About Mood in a Play. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Unit 3
Unit 2
Unit 1
iii
Contents
Narrative Writing4.1 Characters in Biographical Narratives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294.2 Writing a Biographical Sketch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304.3 Structuring the Long Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314.4 Writing About Literature: Identifying Theme in a Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . 324.5 Writing About Literature: Responding to Narrative Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Expository Writing5.1 Writing Expository Paragraphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345.2 Explaining a Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355.3 Analyzing Cause-and-Effect Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365.4 Writing an Essay to Compare and Contrast I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375.4 Writing an Essay to Compare and Contrast II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385.5 Analyzing Problems, Presenting Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395.6 Using Time Lines and Process Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405.7 Building a Reasonable Hypothesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415.8 Writing About Literature: Comparing and Contrasting Two
Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425.9 Writing About Literature: Comparing and Contrasting Two
Poems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Persuasive Writing6.1 Stating Your Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446.2 Sifting Fact from Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456.3 Evaluating Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466.4 Inductive and Deductive Reasoning I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476.4 Inductive and Deductive Reasoning II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486.5 Recognizing Logical Fallacies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496.6 Writing and Presenting a Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506.7 Writing a Letter to an Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516.8 Writing About Literature: Evaluating a Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Unit 6
Unit 5
Unit 4
Contents
iv
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 1 1
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
A. Charting Significant EventsThe left-hand column in the chart below lists general areas in which any writer might findideas. Fill out the middle and right-hand columns for at least three areas as you recall signifi-cant events in your life. You may list more than one item in each column.
B. Creating a Life MapOn a separate sheet of paper, map out the events from the chart in chronological order.Examine your life map, and write answers to the questions below.
1. Do you see a pattern of causes and effects? Any other type of pattern? ______________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What specific events from the life map are part of the pattern(s) you identify?________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
1.1 Writing to Discover I
In personal writing you may express your thoughts, feelings, and experiences for yourself or others. A life map, chart, or personal time line can help you find experiences from your life to generate writing ideas.
Key Information
School
Family
Trips/Vacations
Current Events
Friendships
Games/Sports
EventPlace/TimeArea of Experience
2 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 1
Planning Your Writing
Select an event or chain of events that represents part of a pattern in your life. Brainstorm for interesting details to include in a personal writing assignment. Record your ideas in thegraphic organizer below. Write the experience to be described on the trunk of the tree andsupporting details on each of the branches. Add as many branches as you need. Considerhow the experience affected you and how you felt and reacted at the time.
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
1.1 Writing to Discover II
Patterns connect events like a path that often cannot be seen until it has been traveled. Sometimesone event can cause a string of reactions resulting in a great accomplishment. Through personal writing you can gain a better understanding of your own path.
Key Information
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 1 3
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
A. Identifying Features of a JournalRead this excerpt from the diary of Ruth Shackleford, who traveled from Missouri toCalifornia with her family in 1865. Then answer the questions that follow.
1. Why do you think Shackleford is keeping a journal?
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What does she record in her journal?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
B. Keeping a Travel JournalImagine you are keeping a journal during a trip. After choosing a situation from the list below,jot down some images or phrases that come to mind. On a separate sheet of paper, write aone-paragraph entry for your journal.
1. seeing a city, landform, or well-known monument for the first time
2. a day of travel by car, train, bus, or plane
3. encountering severe weather conditions
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
1.2 Writing in a Journal
A diary or journal lets you record information, impressions, feelings, and events. What you writein your journal is your choice.
Key Information
Clark County, Missouri, May 1, 1865. Thismorning we started from Clark in companywith two other families. . . . I feel very sad andlow spirited on account of Frankie being sickand seeing them part with their friends. . . . Wetravelled today over very rough, muddy roads.The children and I rode in At's horse wagon, thecattle being unruly and it raining. Frank's teamstalled twice; had to pry the wagon out withfence rails. . . .
May 2 . . . We had a big time getting the unrulycattle yoked. It is still cloudy and the roads areawful muddy. Every now and then the womenand children have to get out and walk through
a mud hole. We are camped tonight by a housein a lot; turned the cattle in the lot and fedthem. The wind being very high, we liked neverto get supper [we thought we'd never get sup-per ready], it being the first time we havecooked out of doors.
May 3 A beautiful morning. We all slept in ourwagons. Frankie was sick all night with a pain inhis side. I feel very uneasy about him. . . . Wepassed through Memphis, a very pretty littletown. We stopped there while Frank got twoiron rods made to put in his wagon; paid $1 forthem. Circuit court was in session.
Ruth Shackleford, from Covered Wagon Women
Literature Model
4 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 1
A. Describing Learning StylesRead the following excerpt from a geography textbook. Then, in the space provided below,explain how people with different learning styles would best learn and remember the informa-tion presented.
1. a visual learner__________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. an auditory learner ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. a tactile learner _________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
B. Keeping a Learning LogEvaluate your understanding of the International Date Line. Imagine the lines below are partof your learning log, and use them to summarize the material above in your own words. Readyour summary, and then list facts or concepts you need to clarify. Use a separate sheet of paperif necessary.
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
1.3 Writing to Learn
People use primarily three basic learning styles: visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), and tactile (doingor manipulating). Analyzing your primary learning style and keeping a learning log will help you getmore out of the time you spend studying.
Key Information
Look [at a time zone map, and you can see that] moving east, you lose time. Movingwest, you gain time. However, if you were tokeep moving west, you would eventually losetime at the International Date Line. Suppose, forexample, that you traveled west fromGreenwich, starting at 12 noon on Thursday,and returned in 24 hours. You would be travel-ing as fast as the Earth is rotating. You wouldgain an hour in each of the 24 time zones you
entered. You would seem to be returning thesame day you left. However, in Greenwich it is 1day later. To avoid such confusion, an imaginaryline was established at 180 longitude. At thisline, called the International Date Line, the daychanges. The calendar date on the east side ofthe International Date Line is 1 day earlier thanit is to the west.
McGraw-Hill World Geography
Literature Model
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 1 5
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
A. Planning to WriteImagine that you have spent a month of your summer vacation visiting the family of a formerneighborhood friend who now lives some distance away. During the vacation your hosts tookyou sightseeing, to a baseball game, to the beach, and to a theme park. In the space provided,make two lists. One list will include items you want to mention in a letter to your friend. Theother list will include items you want to say in a letter to your friends parents. The purpose ofboth letters is to thank your hosts for their hospitality. Think about the differences in languageand tone for these two audiences.
Friend Parents
___________________________________ _______________________________________
___________________________________ _______________________________________
___________________________________ _______________________________________
___________________________________ _______________________________________
B. Writing a LetterWrite a letter of thanks either to your friend or your friends parents. Use the appropriate listfrom Part A to help you decide what to include in the letter.
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
1.4 Writing a Letter
Your purpose and your audience should influence the language and tone of your personal letters.
Key Information
6 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 1
A. Highlighting Personality TraitsA common type of college application question asks you to describe yourself. Below are examples from essays in which students were asked to describe themselves based on an adjective. Choose the excerpt that comes closest to something you might write, making slightrevisions if you wish. Then add at least two sentences of your own to personalize the essay.
1. I am very superclastic. Superclastic means adventurous around new people in new situations as
well as always looking at the familiar with new eyes.____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. I could use words that were very broad and subject to a wide range of interpretations. I considered
words such as industrious, accomplished, and motivated. _________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Unfortunately, I am doomed to see eighteen solutions to every problem, six sides to every square,
because Im very analytical.________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. I guess what I fear most is being described as ordinary. __________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
B. Preparing to Write a Self-Descriptive EssayList some adjectives that you think best describe yourself, including one of your own creation.Jot down examples, experiences, or other details you could use to back up this assessment ofyourself.
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
1.5 Writing a College Application Essay
A good college application essay reveals what is unique about you. Before writing, think about yourpersonality traits, accomplishments, and skills. Aim for clarity as well as creativity.
Key Information
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 1 7
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Responding to an Article
Read the excerpt below. Respond to the information presented by describing your initial reac-tions on the journal page that follows. If necessary, read the excerpt more than once.
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
1.6W R I T I N G A B O U T L I T E R A T U R E
Writing About Nonfiction
Writing about what you have read is one way of organizing your thoughts and deepening your under-standing of the information. You can respond to nonfiction by recording your reactions in a reader-response journal. As you develop your response, you may want to write another article with adifferent perspective, write a research paper on the same topic, or fashion your thoughts into a poem,short story, or script.
Key Information
[Bill and Kathy Magee are the founders of]Operation Smile, a non-profit organization thatdispatches medical teams to developing coun-tries to perform free corrective surgery on disfig-ured children. The things they deal with aremisfortunes that brand the spirit as much as theflesh: cleft lips and palates, congenital hand andfoot deformities, burns and facial tumors. . . .
[Operation Smile] resembles a mini-Peace Corps,with a $2 million annual budget, 14,000 volun-teers, and chapters in a dozen U.S. cities andfour countries. To date, the Magees havelaunched 32 medical missions to nine countries,
including China, Vietnam, Colombia, Ghana,and Kenya, where a total of 4,800 children havebeen treated. The moneythe existing missionsrequire about $1.5 million in cash and $1 mil-lion in supplies each yearcomes from privatecontributions and corporate gifts or just frombursts of inspiration. For example, the cost ofthe Panama mission was offset in part by$6,500 raised by teenagers in Greensboro, N.C.,who organized a bowlathon.
Richard Lacayo,No One Will Ever Laugh at Me Again,
People magazine
Quotation or paraphrase from text What text makes me think of
Literature Model
8 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 1
A. First ResponseOn the lines provided, describe your first response to the poem below. What images came tomind as you read the poem? What words or features did you like?
B. Extending Your ResponseRead the poem again, and then complete the activities below.
1. Paraphrase the main idea or message of this poem. _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Add images of your own to illustrate that swift things are beautiful. ______________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Add images of your own to illustrate that slow things are beautiful._______________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. If you were to add two more stanzas to this poem, what would their first lines be? ____________
______________________________________________________________________________
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
1.7W R I T I N G A B O U T L I T E R A T U R E
Writing about Poetry
Readers may respond to the same poem in different ways. Some are moved emotionally; others take a more intellectual approach, analyzing the literary elements of the poem. You can enrich yourresponses by writing about your reactions to a poem, by finding out more about the poet, or by creating a poem of your own.
Key Information
Swift things are beautiful:Swallows and deer,And lightning that falls
Bright-veined and clear,
Rivers and meteors,
Wind in the wheat,
The strong-withered horse,
The runner's sure feet.
And slow things are beautiful:
The closing of the day,
The pause of the wave
That curves downward to spray,
The ember that crumbles,
The opening flower,
And the ox that moves on
In the quiet of power.
Elizabeth Coatsworth,Swift Things AreBeautiful
Literature Model
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2 9
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
A. Understanding the Components of the Writing ProcessFill in the following flow chart by first writing the name of each stage in the writing process.Then under each stage, write the letters of the tasks that writers do in that stage.
B. Using the Writing ProcessImagine that you are writing an essay or speech and you get stuck for the reasons describedbelow. To which earlier stage of the process would you return? Write your answers in thespaces provided.
1. You are having trouble deciding what information to put in and what to leave out because you are
not sure of your purpose. Go back to ___________.
2. You think of a new piece of evidence that would strengthen your position. Go back to___________.
3. You are running for local office and discover that you have prepared your speech for tomorrow
nights audience instead of tonights. Go back to ___________.
4. You notice that your paper is full of typographical errors. Go back to ___________.
5. Your friend reads your essay and gives you suggestions to make it flow better. Go back to
___________.
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
2.1 Writing: A Five-Stage Process
The writing process consists of five stages: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing/proofreading,and publishing/presenting. Writers progress from one stage to the next and accomplish specifictasks within each stage. Writers often go back to earlier stages to rework their material.
Key Information
a. correct grammar, spelling,mechanics
b. write first version
c. set neatly in final form
d. research topic
e. organize material
f. improve content, structure,flow
g. find topic
h. identify audience and purpose
TasksStage 5:
Stage 4:
Stage 2: Stage 3:
Stage 1:
FINISH
START
10 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2
A. Using Writing StartersUse one of the following starters to freewrite on the lines below. You may continue on anothersheet of paper if you need more room.
1. If I were a famous . . .
2. Americans love to . . .
3. The first thing I see when I wake up is . . .
4. A perfect day would be . . .
B. Using a Tree DiagramTake one of the topics that emerged from your freewriting above, and use the tree diagrambelow to explore it further. Write a word or a brief phrase to designate the topic at the base ofthe tree. Then write specific ideas about the topic in the branches that grow out of the trunk.
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
2.2 Prewriting: Finding Ideas
When you need a writing topic, freewriting can help. Begin writing about a word or subject andallow yourself to move freely from one idea to the next. To help you get going in the freewritingprocess, you can use a writing starter like the ones in Part A, below. When you have decided on atopic, you can use a tree diagram to explore different ways of thinking about the topic.
Key Information
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2 11
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
A. Exploring a SubjectYou are preparing to write a character sketch of a close friend or relative. Complete the chartbelow by identifying the type of question provided. Then choose your subject, and brieflyanswer each question.
B. Identifying Questions to Generate DetailThe details about spring in each of the following sentences were generated by different types ofquestions. Identify the type of question that was most likely used with a P for personal, C forcreative, A for analytical, or I for informational.
______ 1. After natures long inertia in the winter, the sudden activity in the spring is like themolecules in a pot of boiling liquid.
______ 2. In the spring I feel enthusiastic about the most mundane activities.
______ 3. Some flowers bloom when their sensors measure the lengthened day of spring,while others bloom in response to increased temperature.
______ 4. By midspring in the country, the temperature can reach 75.
______ 5. Streets that were drab and lifeless only weeks before have become almost tropical,exotic places with abundant color and vigorous life.
______ 6. The combination of increased temperature and moisture provides an environmentsuitable for plant growth.
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
2.3 Prewriting: Questioning to Explore a Topic
To generate ideas for your writing, you can ask four different types of questions: personal, creative,analytical, and informational. Each type of question serves a different purpose in the search forinformation and perspective on a topic.
Key Information
1.
AnswerTypeQuestion
What kinds of clothes does theperson like to wear?
2. What do I like about this person?
3. When I think about this personshabits, what patterns of behaviorbecome evident?
4. How does this person resemblea famous character or famous person?
12 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2
A. Adjusting Purpose to Fit the AudienceFor each topic listed in the chart, write two possible audiences and two corresponding purposes for presenting the topic to those audiences.
B. Writing for Your AudienceChoose one of the topics above in Part A. Describe briefly the kinds of details (factual, descrip-tive, fantastic), the tone (serious, poetic, humorous, casual), and the choice of words (technical,simple, slang) that you would use for each of the audiences you selected.
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
2.4 Prewriting: Audience and Purpose
Before you can start to write about a topic, consider your audience. Keep in mind the reader's or lis-teners identity, needs, and interests. Is your audience the general public or a highly specialized group?What is the average age of its members? How much does the audience know about your topic? Afteridentifying the nature of your audience, decide whether your purpose in writing about your topic isto explain, entertain, describe, persuade, or narrate.
Key Information
the local newspaper
roller-skating
mall walking
learning to drive
PurposeAudienceTopic
a.
b.
a.
b.
a.
b.
a.
b.
a.
b.
a.
b.
a.
b.
a.
b.
a.
b.
DetailsAudience Word ChoiceTone
Topic:
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2 13
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
A. Recording Sensory ObservationsExamine the following observation chart. In the first column is a list of subjectspeople, ani-mals, objects, places, or situationsthat are under observation. In the second column is spacefor notes recording the sensory information learned from observation. Record details from asmany of the five senses as possible for each category.
B. Developing ObservationsChoose one of the scenes from the chart above to focus on further. Think about your ownassociations, emotions, and impressions in regard to the scene. Then imagine the scene from adifferent perspective: inside the toy shop, for instance, or outside the movie theater during thedaytime. Record these additional impressions on the lines below.
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
2.5 Prewriting: Observing
To create a sharp, vivid description, start by observing sensory details: sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste. Then go beyond simple sensory details to record your own associations, impressions, andobservations from different perspectives.
Key Information
a rainy dayin the city
Sensory ImpressionsSubject
the windowof a toy shop
lunch with a friendin a restaurant
inside amovie theater
a favorite pet
14 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2
Writing Unified Paragraphs
The following sets contain information about a subject for a paragraph. Each set, however,contains one irrelevant detail that does not belong in the paragraph. Draw a line through theirrelevant detail in each set. Then use the remaining information to write a paragraph. Be sureto state the main idea clearly in your topic sentence.
SET ASUBJECT: the characteristics of a good auctioneer1. a sense of humor to hold the audience's attention2. sharp eyes to spot bidders signals3. a clear, carrying voice4. comfortable shoes5. the ability to deal with large audiences6. a talent for showmanship7. the ability to think quickly in a fast-paced auction
SET BSUBJECT: a navy fliers rescue by dolphins1. a navy flier is shot down over the ocean2. he loses blood and waits for an air-sea rescue3. dolphins were considered sacred by ancient Greeks4. a school of dolphins drives off sharks5. dolphins circle the flier until the rescue plane arrives6. sharks triangle-shaped fins were seen to infest the entire area
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
2.6 Drafting: Achieving Unity
To achieve unity in your written work, first make sure that you have clearly stated the main idea inyour topic sentence. Then make sure that all the details, facts, and examples you use support themain idea.
Key Information
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2 15
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Selecting an Organizing Technique
Each set below contains a statement of purpose and a description of the data that will be used in an essay. Select the best organizing technique for the purpose and data given ineach set by writing compare and contrast, order of importance, pro and con, spatial order, orchronological order.
SET 1Purpose: To give a balanced view of the benefits and dangers of nuclear powerData: Historical facts about accidents in nuclear power plants; statistics on safe and unsafeperformance; explanation of problems of waste disposal; facts about low air pollution fromnuclear power
Organizing Technique: _______________________________________________________________
SET 2Purpose: To provide instructions for putting a bicycle togetherData: Suggestions for common household tools that can be used; descriptions of each step inputting the bicycle together; diagrams
Organizing Technique: _______________________________________________________________
SET 3Purpose: To describe an old house in which a crime takes placeData: Details of the houses location in relation to neighboring houses and to the nearby town;description of the exterior appearance of the house; details of the locations of rooms and fur-nishings within the house
Organizing Technique: _______________________________________________________________
SET 4Purpose: To argue that a busy intersection needs the installation of a traffic light rather than astop signData: Eyewitness accounts of motorists confusion at the intersection; police statistics on thenumber of cars that have been caught speeding through the intersection; statistics and descrip-tions of traffic accidents that have occurred at the intersection
Organizing Technique: _______________________________________________________________
SET 5Purpose: To describe common characteristics and differences among four siblingsData: Descriptions and examples of physical appearance, temperament, likes and dislikes, workhabits
Organizing Technique: _______________________________________________________________
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
2.7 Drafting: Organizing an Essay I
Five techniques that you can use to organize the information you have gathered into an essay arecompare and contrast, order of importance, pro and con, spatial order, and chronologicalorder.
Key Information
16 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2
Understanding the Parts of an Essay
Read the following short text on ultrasound. Then answer the questions below.
a. Two and a half million pulses of sound per second are fired through the skin, and the echoesthat bounce off the bodys internal structures are converted rapidly into a visual map.
b. This is the miracle of the ultrasound transducer, which already has changed medicine andpromises to play a role in a wide range of human activity.
c. In medicine, the list of ultrasounds uses grows longer every year.
d. Ultrasound provides clear views of the brain, heart, arteries, liver, and other internal organs, aswell as easier and less painful treatments for kidney stones, eye tumors, and glaucoma.
e. Ultrasound is also used to seal plastic packaging and to clean minute crevices in jewelry andlaboratory equipment.
f. In the future, fishermen could use ultrasound to locate schools of fish deep below the oceans surface.
g. All kinds of equipment could be inspected with ultrasound for cracks and other flaws.
h. Ultrasound enables us to see things that we could never see before.
______ 1. Which sentences are part of the introduction?
______ 2. Which sentence is intended to capture the audiences attention?
______ 3. Which sentence states the main idea?
______ 4. Which sentence sets up the organizing technique?
______ 5. Which sentences are part of the body?
______ 6. Which sentence provides an overview, or conclusion?
7. What organizing technique is used? ____________________________________________
8. What new perspective does the conclusion offer? _________________________________
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
2.7 Drafting: Organizing an Essay II
An essay comprises three parts. The introduction presents a general picture of the essays subject andpurpose. The body presents a long, close-up view of the subject consistent with the general picturepresented in the introduction. The conclusion presents a new view of the material.
Key Information
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2 17
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
A. Using a Transitional StatementThe two following paragraphs could be found together as part of an essay. However, their logi-cal connection is weak. Add a sentence at the beginning of the second paragraph to serve as atransition from the first paragraph.
The science of devising and breaking secret ciphers and other secret codes is calledcryptography. Cryptographers who specialize in the breaking rather than the making of codesare known as cryptographic analysts. Their work is as challenging as a game of chess but farmore difficult to master than most games of skill. In fact, secret codes that are based on a codebook that lists code words with their decoded meanings are almost impossible to break. Thecode book is the key. Therefore, the captain of a naval vessel threatened with capture mustalways jettison his lead-bound code book.
Secret ciphers, which encipher the actual letters in a message, are of two basic typessubstitution and transposition. In substitution ciphers, each letter of the alphabet stands foranother letter. For example, A could stand for Z, B could stand for Y, C for X, and so on. Youcould quickly set up this substitution system yourself by printing the alphabet twice, first inthe normal order and then, right below, in reverse order. In a transposition cipher, the letters of the message are scrambled in a systematic way. Here is a simple example of transposition:Each word is written backward is changed to drawkcab nettirw si drow hcae. Guided by cluesrooted in the nature of the English language, cryptographic analysts can and do break theseciphers, no matter how complex the systems by which they are enciphered. Of course, recipi-ents of such an enciphered message do not need to carry a heavy code book; they need only tomemorize the encoding system.
HINT: If you can decipher this cryptographic question, it will give you a hint about the transi-tional sentence for the second paragraph: Dsrxs rh vzhrvi gl wvxrksvi, z xlwv yzhvw lm z xlwvyllp li z xrksvi?
B. Identifying Words That Develop ConnectionsUnderline the transitional words and phrases, pronoun references, and repeated words andimages in the sentences of the two paragraphs above.
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
2.8 Drafting: Writing with Coherence
Coherent writing is writing that develops connections between sentences and paragraphs.Transitional words and phrases, pronoun references, and repeated words and images will helpto make your written work a coherent piece.
Key Information
18 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2
Describing the Roles of the Writer and the Reviewer
The box below includes the tasks of both the writer and the peer reviewer. Choosing the cor-rect tasks for each person, write a paragraph describing the role of the writer in the reviewprocess and another paragraph describing the role of the reviewer.
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
2.9 Revising: Using Peer Responses I
A peer reviewer can give you an objective reading of your work. In a successful peer review, thewriter and the reviewer understand their different roles.
Key Information
1. directs criticism at the writing
2. seeks fresh insights into thework
3. tries to bring out the writersbest work
4. questions confusing comments
5. asks for suggestions
6. begins with praise
7. seeks to understand thewriters intentions
8. takes careful notes
9. directs criticism at the writing
10. decides on all final changes
11. seeks to understand thewriters meaning
12. suggests specific solutions
13. listens with an open mind
Tasks
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2 19
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Reviewing a Written Piece
You are asked to review the following paragraph, written by a classmate. Read the paragraph atleast twice, and then answer the questions below.
1. Briefly describe your first impression of the paragraph.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Does the opening make you want to keep reading? Can you suggest a better one?
______________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the main idea of the paragraph? Where is it stated?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Which sentences in the paragraph do not support the topic sentence?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. Ask two questions that will elicit new supporting details, facts, or examples.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6. Is the ending strong? Can you suggest a better ending?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
2.9 Revising: Using Peer Responses II
Reviewers read a written work at least twicefirst, to get an overall impression of the piece and, second, to examine its content, coherence, and flow. Reviewers should not be concerned withmisspelled words or grammar problems but should ask themselves questions about the clarity of the thesis, the strength of the supporting evidence, and the expression of the argument.
Key Information
Humor is not always easy to define. Psychologists have identified many sources of humor, fromrepetition to sudden incongruities of behavior. Sometimes when you arent trying to be witty, youcome up with something that makes everyone laugh. Other times, you find that your best jokes fallflat. Comedians say that their most effective lines occur to them when they are doing something else,like shopping for groceries or taking the dog to the vet. When they let their subconscious do thework, they think of their most successful jokes. The best humor is usually spontaneous. What one person finds funny another person will not find funny at all.
Model
20 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2
Editing and Proofreading a Paragraph
Read the following paragraphs first to edit them and then to proofread them. Use correctproofreading marks to indicate changes. Note that all proper names have been spelledcorrectly. (If you wish, you may refer to pages 91 and 92 of your textbook.)
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
2.10 Editing and Presenting: Completing Your Essay
Editing involves examining the construction of the sentences and paragraphs; proofreading involvessearching for errors in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Key Information
When Lady Mary Montagu traveled to turkey from England in 1717 she
wasnt planning to save thousands of lives. She was simply a curious
tourist observing people and customs. The local method for avoiding
smallpox, a disease that is desimating people back home, especially
fascinated herinjections of small doses of the smallpox virus. Theinjection resulted in a few days of illness , but afterward the patientwill no longer be suggestible to the disease.
Upon returning home, Montagu experimented with this procedure and
published a report of her findings; however, his discovery of what we
now call innoculation did not receive much attention. In 1796 physician
Edward Jenner became interested in Montagus findings. His similar
studies and publications made smallpox vaccinations a widely accepted
practice. Reducing the death rate in England by two thirds. In the 1970s
the World Health Organization declared the disease evaluated.
Model
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 2 21
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Freewriting About a Character in a Play
Read the following lines from a play about a fictitious Navy court-martial during World War II.Fill in the cluster diagram with adjectives or phrases about Greenwald.
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
2.11W R I T I N G A B O U T L I T E R A T U R E
Analyzing a Character in a Play
Begin an analysis of a character in a play by freewriting or by creating a cluster diagram to focuson his or her character traits.
Key Information
MARYK: I dont like the way youre handlingme.
GREENWALD: Good. That makes us even.
MARYK: Hows that?
GREENWALD: I dont like handling you.
MARYK: What? Well, then, maybe Id better
GREENWALD: (Crossing to desk and takingpapers from briefcase) Maryk, Id rather be pros-ecuting you than defending you. I told you thatthe first time we met. Nevertheless, Im defend-ing you. If its humanly possible to win anacquittal in this case Im going to win you anacquittal. If you want a prediction, I believe Imgoing to get you off. But you cant help me. Sojust leave me be. . . .
MARYK: (staring at him) Greenwald, is theresomething eating you?
GREENWALD: I dont know. (Paces in silence fora moment. Halts) Im a . . . good lawyer, Maryk,and Im a pretty poor flyer. Took quite a shel-lacking at flight school from snotty ensigninstructors four or five years younger than me. Ididnt like it. Baby-faced kids couldnt do suchthings to Greenwald the hot-shot lawyer. I usedto daydream about a court-martial coming upon that base. And some poor joe would needdefending. And Id step in, and take over, andtwist the Navys arm, and make it holler Uncle.Nowheres my dream come true. You knowsomething? I dont look forward to twisting theNavys arm. Not one bit.
Herman Wouk,from The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Greenwald
Literature Model
22 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 3
A. Understanding Spatial OrderThe sentences in the following description are out of order. Read the topic sentence below; itwill be sentence 1. Then rearrange the supporting sentences in logical spatial order, and writethe appropriate numbers on the lines provided for sentences 28.
Topic sentence:
______ 1. In spite of its enormous size, the room had an intimate air.
Supporting sentences:
______ 2. Both this balcony and the wall below it were lined with book-filled shelves.
______ 3. Beyond the rug, along the right-hand wall, a small fireplace flanked by tworeclining chairs formed a cozy corner.
______ 4. From this corner, your eye traveled to the rear wall, which was broken by thekitchen door and a hallway to the rest of the house.
______ 5. Centered so that it seemed to fill the doorway, the dining table glittered with crystaland china.
______ 6. To the right of the table, two couches, several straight-backed chairs, and a coffeetable were grouped hospitably on a handsome Navaho rug.
______ 7. There was even space in front of the shelves for a library table and several chairs.
______ 8. At the right of the hallway, a stairway rose to the balcony.
B. Using Order of ImpressionUse the setting above as the basis for a paragraph describing how the room would impress youif you were entering it for the first time. Use order of impression, concentrating on thosedetails an observer would be most likely to notice. You may omit one or two details you thinkare insignificant and add people to the scene to make it more effective. Use additional paper ifnecessary.
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
3.1 Creating Vivid Description I
When you write descriptions, organize sensorydetails in one of the following ways: To showhow details relate to one another in space, usespatial order. To show that some details are
more important than others, use order of importance. To organize details according tothe order in which you experienced them, useorder of impression.
Key Information
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 3 23
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
A. Recognizing Order of ImportanceThe six sentences below explain why an artist chose a particular apartment as a combinationstudio and living space. Renumber the sentences to express a logical order of importance,placing what you consider the most important reason first.
______ 1. The wall of shelves might provide some storage space for supplies.
______ 2. The eastern exposure promising morning sunlight was just what she had beenlooking for.
______ 3. Whats more, huge windows were complemented by a skylight.
______ 4. The tiny bedroom offered the bonus of privacy, which she had been willing tosacrifice in order to have good studio light.
______ 5. The main room was large enough for a work space and to show prospective clientsfinished paintings.
______ 6. Even the kitchen would do, although it was dingy, and its window faced a brickwall.
B. Using Order of ImpressionImagine that you are the mother of the young artist who just rented the apartment describedabove. Describe your first visit to your daughters apartment in a letter to a friend. Use order ofimpression, beginning with your entrance to the apartment through the kitchen door.
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
3.1 Creating Vivid Description II
Two ways to organize descriptive writing are order of importance and order of impression. Order of importance indicates the relative importance of each detail to the main idea of the description. Order of impression presents the details in the order in which they are noticed.
Key Information
24 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 3
Using Contrasting Sensory Details
Create two contrasting impressions by selecting different sensory details to fill out the descriptions below. The opening and closing sentences are provided. In the first description,complete the paragraph using details that create a positive impression. In the second, completethe paragraph using details that create a negative impression. You may wish to use some of thevivid adjectives provided in the box below.
1. When I arrived home from school yesterday, I noticed a red convertible parked in front of thebuilding.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What a birthday present that turned out to be!
2. When I arrived home from school yesterday, I noticed a red convertible parked in front of thebuilding.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What a birthday present that turned out to be!
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
3.2 Using Sensory Details
Descriptive writing creates a clear and vivid impression through sensory details that appeal to sight,hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Carefully chosen sensory details sharpen the focus on your subjectand draw the reader into your writing.
Key Information
chugging
pinging
quiet
sluggish
creaky
pitted
rusty
smooth
dusty
plush
scratchy
squeaky
knocking
purring
shimmering
threadbare
lumpy
quicksilver
sizzling
wheezy
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 3 25
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Identifying Mood
Read each of the following passages carefully. Below each model identify the mood created inthe passage, and support your assessment with three specific examples of details and languagethat create the mood.
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
3.3 Creating a Mood
The mood of a piece of writing gives the reader an overall feeling about a scene or event. Mood iscreated through carefully selected details and vivid language.
Key Information
The passage grew dark too suddenly, the wallscrowded in, and the roofs crouched down.To me, staring timidly there in the dark passagein a strange town, the swarthy man appearedlike a giant in a cage surrounded by clouds, and
the bald old man withered into a black humpwith a white top; two white hands darted outof the corner. . . .
Dylan Thomas, from The Peaches
An enormous brass band seemed to explode right at Mirandas ear. She jumped, quiv-ered, thrilled blindly and almost forgot tobreathe as sound and color and smell rushed
together and poured through her skin and hairand beat in her head and hands and feet andpit of her stomach.
Katherine Anne Porter, from The Circus
Literature Model 1
Literature Model 2
26 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 3
A. Analyzing a Character SketchRead the following passage. On the lines below write the sentences and phrases GustaveFlaubert uses to describe the characters appearance, behavior, movement, speech, and effecton others. Some sentences and phrases describe more than one aspect of the character.
1. Appearance:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Behavior:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Underlying personality:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
B. Expanding a Character SketchOn the lines below, write two or three sentences to continue the character sketch above. Youmay wish to describe what the character thinks, what she says, and how she dresses.
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
3.4 Writing a Character Sketch
A character sketch describes a persons appearance, behavior, and underlying personality by showingreaders how the person looks, speaks, moves, thinks, acts, and affects others.
Key Information
Her face was thin and her voice sharp. Attwenty-five, people had taken her for forty.After she had reached fifty, she had ceased toshow any signs of increasing age; and, with hersilent ways, her erect carriage and deliberate
movements, she gave the impression of awoman made of wood, going through her worklike an automaton.
Gustave Flaubert, from A Simple Heart
Literature Model
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 3 27
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
A. Identifying Vantage PointFor each of the following passages, write whether the narrator is a distant observer of theaction, a close observer of the action, or a participant in the event.
Vantage point: ______________________________________________________________________
Vantage point: ______________________________________________________________________
B. Changing the Vantage PointChoose one of the passages above, and rewrite it from a different vantage point. Use a perspective that will make the event dramatic and effective for your readers. Use additionalpaper if necessary.
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
3.5 Describing an Event
Describing an event requires that movement of the action through time and space be clear, logical,and believable. It is also important to have a clear and consistent vantage point from which todescribe the action.
Key Information
From across the field, I saw the steer chasing the boy around and around the tree. At first the boymanaged to keep 180 of the circle between him and the steer. Gradually, however, the boybecame slower than the steer, and the distance between them began to close. Suddenly a barkingdog ran toward them from somewhere behind the barn, and the steer lumbered in the direction ofthe dog. The boy scrambled up the tree, gasping for air.
Iheard the branches crack and looked up to see that she had lost her balance and was falling toward the trunk. She swayed on the slender tree limb and clutched at the thin branches, trying to regainher balance. Suddenly, the bees were all around her. They hesitated for an instant and then attacked.She screamed and brushed frantically at her head and body. I screamed too and kept my eyes fixedupward from my frozen position under the tree. Then she fell through the branches to the ground.
Model 1
Model 2
28 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 3
A. Identifying Dramatic MoodThe descriptions of the opening moments of two plays appear below. Read them carefully, andthen identify the mood that has been established for each play.
1. lighting: glaring, with a reddish-orange tinge
scenery: a very small office that is sparsely furnished with a desk and two chairs
sound effects: only the dialogue
characterization: two men, both grim-faced and tense, facing each other
dialogue:
FIRST MAN: [shouting and pounding on desk top] You lied to me. I backed you with tenthousand dollars, and now I get nothing!
SECOND MAN: It isnt over yet, you fool! I told you these things take time. [now shouting] Itold you it would be awhile before it all came together.
Mood: ________________________________________________________________________
2. lighting: soft and pink
scenery: a living room decorated with floral patterns and a few touches of lace; also an old-fashioned radio on a table
sound effects: a love song of the 1940s plays softly
characterization: a boy and girl, about seventeen years old, dressed properly for the 1940s,dancing slowly without speaking
Mood: ________________________________________________________________________
B. Writing About Dramatic MoodChoose one of the plays above. Write a brief paragraph explaining how the elements that areprovided, as well as other elements you may supply from your imagination, contribute tocreating the mood in the opening moments of the play. Use additional paper if necessary.
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
3.6W R I T I N G A B O U T L I T E R A T U R E
Writing About Mood in a Play
A playwrights use of lighting, scenery, sound effects, characterization, and dialogue create adramatic mood or emotional climate for a play. When you write about mood, consider all of these ele-
Key Information
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 4 29
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Identifying Strategies That Reveal Character
Read the following selection about Max Perkins, one of the most influential editors of early twentieth-century American literature. Identify the strategy A. Scott Berg uses in the numbered sentences to reveal the character of Max Perkins. On the corresponding numbered lines belowthe model, write physical description, characters thoughts or words, characters actions, or writersopinion. What does this commentary reveal about Perkins? Write your overall impression ofPerkins in a sentence or two.
1. ______________________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________________________________
Overall Impression: ________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
4.1 Characters in Biographical Narratives
A writer uses four strategies to reveal character: physical description, the characters thoughts orwords, the characters actions, and the writers opinion. Instead of telling the reader what to thinkabout a character, a skillful writer shows the reader what the character is like.
Key Information
(1) Perkins took off his sopping raincoat andrevealed an unpressed, pepper-and-salt, three-piece suit. Then his eyes shot upward and heremoved his hat, under which a full head ofmetallic-grey hair was combed straight backfrom a V in the center of his forehead. (2) MaxPerkins did not care much about the impressionhe gave, which was just as well, for the first onehe made on this particular evening was of someVermont feed-and-grain merchant who hadcome to the city in his Sunday clothes and gotcaught in the rain. (3) As he walked to the frontof the room, he seemed slightly bewildered, and
more so as Kenneth McCormick introduced himas "the dean of American editors."
Perkins had never spoken to a group like thisbefore. (4) Every year he received dozens ofinvitations, but he turned them all down. . . .(5) The first thing you must remember, hesaid, without quite facing his audience, aneditor does not add to a book. At best he servesas a handmaiden to an author.
A. Scott Berg,from Max Perkins: Editor of Genius
Literature Model
30 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 4
Narrowing the Focus
You are writing a biographical sketch about the personality of Dwight Eisenhower, thirty-fourth president of the United States and commander of the Allied forces in World War II.Read each of the following details and indicate on the line below whether it should be includedin the sketch. If the detail does belong, explain what it reveals about Eisenhowers personality.If it does not belong, suggest a focus within which the detail would work.
1. Eisenhower trained tank battalions in the army during World War I.
2. Eisenhower refused to sit down before his wedding ceremony because he did not want to creasethe pants of his uniform.
3. Eisenhower was raised in Abilene, Kansas, and was the third of seven sons in a poor family.
4. Eisenhowers high school classmates expected that he would become a history professor at Yale.
5. While in high school, Eisenhower held a part-time job at the creamery where his father worked asa mechanic.
6. Eisenhower reluctantly agreed to run for president on the Republican ticket.
7. The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was created during Eisenhowers presidency.
8. To enforce the 1954 Supreme Court order to end segregation, Eisenhower sent federal troops toLittle Rock, Arkansas, in 1957.
9. Eisenhowers warm smile and congenial manner made him popular all over the world.
10. Eisenhowers mother taught her son to value frugality. She grew vegetables and fruit in a gardenplot surrounding their house, keeping what the family needed and selling the rest.
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
4.2 Writing a Biographical Sketch
To narrow the focus of your biographical sketch, decide which aspect of a historical figures life or personality you want to present. Then select only those details that fall within the focus you have chosen; discard the rest.
Key Information
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 4 31
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
A. Developing a Time LineUse the information from the sentences below to develop a time line of the life of HarrietTubman, an antislavery activist. Events that are linked to specific dates should be written abovethe time line; events or conditions that span several years should be written in boxes below it.
1. In 1820 Harriet Tubman was born into slavery on a plantation in Maryland, where she remaineduntil her escape in 1849.
2. In 1825 at the age of five, Harriets owner hired her out to a local family to work as a weaver.
3. At the age of seven, in 1827, Harriet was hired out to another family and was so badly mistreatedthat she tried to run away.
4. Finally, in 1849, at the age of twenty-nine, Harriet escaped in the dead of night and fled north toPhiladelphia, a haven for many runaway slaves.
5. She began working on the Underground Railroad in 1850, and from then until 1862, she helpedmore slaves escape than any other person in the movements history and earned the nameMoses.
6. In 1854 she rescued two of her brothers from a plantation in Maryland.
7. In 1857 she rescued her parents from Maryland and brought them to Auburn, New York, to live.
8. In 1908 she built a home for sick and elderly African Americans in Auburn, New York, where sheherself died in 1913.
B. Understanding Highlights and TrendsRefer to the time line you developed to answer the following questions.
1. What are Harriet Tubmans major achievements? ______________________________________
2. What do these achievements have in common? ________________________________________
3. What events in Tubmans early life influenced her later career? ____________________________
4. What events led to her earning the name Moses? _____________________________________
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
4.3 Structuring the Long Narrative
Developing a time line of a persons life can help reveal highlights, trends, and overall direction.
Key Information
32 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 4
Examining Narrative Elements to Determine Theme
Examine the notes below on the setting, characters, plot, and point of view of The Necklace,a story by Guy de Maupassant. Then answer the questions below to help you determine thetheme of the story. Use a separate sheet of paper if necessary.
Setting The setting is Paris in the late 1800s.
Characters The main characters are a young couple without much money. The wife is beauti-ful but discontented because she cant buy the clothes, house, and furnishings of a wealthywoman. The husband, a minor clerk in a government ministry, does not care about money.
Plot The husband brings home a ticket to a fancy ball, but the wife needs an expensive dressand jewelry before she will go. She buys the dress and borrows a beautiful diamond necklacefrom a wealthy friend. At the ball, her stunning beauty and fashionable dress make her the cen-ter of attention, and she is wild with joy. When the couple return home, they discover she haslost the necklace. Too proud to admit the loss, they use their lifes savings and borrow a largeamount of money to replace the necklace, and the wife returns the necklace to the unsuspect-ing friend. Over the next ten years the couple work to pay off the debt of 36,000 francs, and thewife loses her youth and beauty. One day she encounters the friend from whom she borrowedthe necklace and tells her the whole story. The friend, in shock, replies that the borrowed neck-lace was an imitation worth only 500 francs.
Point of View The story is told from the point of view of a narrator who knows the charac-ters thoughts, actions, and words but is not a character in the story.
1. At the beginning of the story, what are the wifes values?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Which events in the plot are caused by decisions made by the characters? Which are beyond thecharacters control?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. At the end of the story, how do you think the wife regards the values she had at the beginning ofthe story?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. What is the theme of the story? State it on the line below. Check yourself by asking Does thistheme apply to all people, not just the characters in the story?
______________________________________________________________________________
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
4.4W R I T I N G A B O U T L I T E R A T U R E
Identifying Theme in a Narrative
The theme, or controlling idea, of a narrative usually is not stated directly. You can determine thetheme by examining the setting, characters, plot, and the point of view from which the narrativeis told. Each of these elements may reflect the theme.
Key Information
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 4 33
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Examining Mood in a Narrative Poem
The following stanza sets the mood for the opening of a narrative poem about the final stagesof a war between the Greek god, Saturn, ruler of Earth and Sky, and his children. The poembegins after Saturns children have gained the upper hand and deposed their once mightyfather. Read the stanza and answer the questions below.
1. Name the character in this scene and identify what he is doing. ___________________________
2. Describe the vale (valley) in which the character is located._______________________________
3. What do the behavior of the character and the mood of the valley have in common? __________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Use one or two words to describe your own impression of each of the following elements thatestablish the scene. Then write an example from the stanza to support each impression.
Sound: ________________________________________________________________________
Movement:_____________________________________________________________________
Lighting: ______________________________________________________________________
Mood: ________________________________________________________________________
5. Examine the last three lines of the stanza. How has the characters situation influenced the setting?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
4.5W R I T I N G A B O U T L I T E R A T U R E
Responding to Narrative Poetry
Deep in the shady sadness of a valeFar sunken from the healthy breath of morn,Far from the fiery noon, and eves one star,Sat gray-haird Saturn, quiet as a stone,Still as the silence round about his lair;Forest on forest hung about his headLike cloud on cloud. No stir of air was there,Not so much life as on a summers day
Robs not one light seed from the featherd grass,
But where the dead leaf fell, there did it rest.A stream went voiceless by, still deadened moreBy reason of his fallen divinity Spreading a shade. . . .
John Keats, from Hyperion
To interpret a narrative poem, begin by jotting down your impressions of the characters, setting,plot, point of view, and theme.
Key Information
Literature Model
34 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 5
A. Planning Expository WritingImagine that you are going to write expository paragraphs about the topics below. For eachtopic, ask a question that interests you, and then indicate the type of expository writing youwould use to answer that question. Choose from process explanation, cause and effect,compare and contrast, problems and solutions, and building a hypothesis.
1. volcanoes
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. the Battle of Saratoga
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. recycling programs in your community
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. movies
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
B. Identifying TransitionsRead the model below. On the lines below the model, list four transitional words or phrasesthe writer has used.
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
Composition PracticeC
op
yrigh
t Th
e McG
raw-H
ill Co
mp
anies, In
c.
5.1 Writing Expository Paragraphs
To write an expository paragraph, select your topic, determine the appropriate type of expository writing, and define your audience. Then you will be able to select the appropriate details and organization for your paragraph. Use transitions to link ideas in your paragraph.
Key Information
Some plants, lovely as they are, can be dan-gerous. For example, the innocent-lookingbuttercup can cause stomach upset if eaten. Therhododendron, a common household shrub,poses an even greater threat. It can causedeath. Therefore, it is important for people to
know and recognize these poisonous plants and to keep them away from children and pets.Do not, for instance, keep lilies of the valley in a vase within reach of a baby. In addition,warn youngsters not to put acorns into their mouths.
Model
Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 5 35
Name ...................................................................................... Class .................................................. Date ................................
A. Analyzing the Steps in a ProcessRead the paragraph below and then answer the questions that follow it.
1. What process is described in the paragraph?
______________________________________________________________________________
2. List the three major steps in the process.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
B. Understanding AudienceReread the paragraph above, and then decide how you might change it for each of the follow-ing audiences. Write the letter of the appropriate audience next to each numbered item.
a. a fourth-grade class
b. a newspaper audience
c. a college geology class
_____ 1. Make no changes.
_____ 2. define silt, deposit, and flood plain
_____ 3. delete definitions of sediment, river mouth, and delta
Composition PracticeC
op
yrig
ht
T
he
McG
raw
-Hill
Co
mp
anie
s, In
c.
5.2 Explaining a Process
Explaining a process means telling how something works or how to accomplish a specific task. Towrite a clear and logical explanation, you need to arrange the steps in chronological order and toinclude all the information your audience needs to know.
Key Information
Rivers and streams create new land formsthrough the process called deposition. As ariver travels, it picks up sediment, which is madeup of small particles of soil, sand, silt, andgravel. Whenever the water speed slows, theriver begins to deposit sediment. Some of the sediment settles along the rivers banks and
stream bed; it may also form a low-lying floodplain on either side of the river. At the riversmouththe place where a river enters a lake, a larger river, or the oceanthe rest of therivers sediment is deposited and forms a delta, a fan-shaped area of fertile soil.
Model
36 Writers Choice: Composition Practice, Grade 11, Unit 5
A. Identifying Causes and EffectsAs you read the model below, look for cause-and-effect connections. Then answer the questions that follow.
1. What kind of cause-and-effect relationship explains why people first came to the island?
______________________________________________________________________________
2. List the causes and effects of the islands i