Hamlet Act V and IV Journal

1. What common event takes place in the lives of Hamelt, Fortinbras, and Laertes? How are the reactions of three similar? How does each cope differently in the the event?
All three of their fathers die. They all have some sort of anger about the situation, but Laertes throws a tantrum, Hamlet pouts, and Fortinbras just takes action.
2. How do Hamlet's views of death develop from the "To Be or Not To Be" soliloquy in Act III to his answers about the whereabouts of Polonius's body in Act IV to the graveyard in Act V sc i to his finals words in the last scene? What questions about the nature of life and death did the play make you think about?
He knows at the end that he had a point to living whereas before, he didn't think so. This play made me think about what our purposes are on earth.
3. Is Hamlet right to admire Fortinbras's actions in Act IV sc iv? Why or why not?
I think that it is good to have someone inspire you, so I thought it was a good thing.
4. What role do literal poisons have throughout the play? In a more abstract and metaphorical way, what and who else is 'poisoned' throughout the play?
The actual poisons are used to kill people. Most of the peoples minds are poisoned so that they do things that they would not normally do.
5. Does Hamlet redeem himself at the end of the play? Does he deserve a soldier's funeral that Fortinbras gives him?
I would say that he gains his honor and that he deserves the proper funeral.
6. A lot of characters die in the play. Which characters bring their deaths upon themselves and which ones are mere victims of fate? Explain your answers.
Polonius and Claudius and Laertes bring their deaths upon themselves because they have done some bad things. All the others are victims of fate because of the actions of the others.
7. Overall, did you like this play? Why or why not?
I liked the beginning but it got less and less exciting at the end because the people in the story just kept making stupid decisions and for some reason that makes me not like a story.

1. Hamlet gives advice about acting to the Players before "The Mousetrap" in Act III sc i. Do you agree with the acting advice he gives? Who is your favorite actress/actor? Why?
I agree with his acting advice because of the purposes that he wants the play to have. I like Will Ferrell because he makes himself seem like a child even though he is an adult.
2. Do you think Hamlet crosses the line in how he acts toward Ophelia, R & G, and Queen i.e. rudely? Even though he's the hero of the story, do you like him as a character overall? Do his flaws make him a more compelling character? Why or why?
I think that he does cross the line, and this makes me despise him a little bit, but I would say that it makes for a more interesting story because this is not how heroes usually act.
3. Claudius evidently feels guilt during Act III sc iii; however, he finds difficult to ask for forgiveness. Why is this so? Is there any any way Claudius can be redeemed?
He is very happy with the position he is in now, so he doesn't want forgiveness. I think he could redeem himself by allowing Prince Hamlet to be the new king.
4. Hamlet's fatal flaw in the inability to act, and his tendency to overanalyze situations. Think of other films/books you've viewed. What's one of the characters flaws? Do you think Hamlet can overcome his flaw by the end of the play?
I read a book called Bull Catcher, and the characters fatal flaw was that he was too slow to play college baseball. I don't think he will be able to overcome his fatal flaws.
5. Was the Ghost actually in the room with the Queen or was he just imagining it? Why or why not?
I would say that the ghost was actually in the room but the queen didn't see it because I don't think that she is sad that the king is gone.

Hamlet Act II Blog

1. Based on what he does during Act II, how would you characterize Polonius?
I would say that he is not a very worthy character because he uses other people for alterior motives and he is really not willing to help anyone else out.

2. During his conversations with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Act II Sc ii, Hamlet describes his perceptions of reality? In your own words, describe Hamlet's worldview? Are you an optimist, pessimist, or a realist? Why?
I would say that he is a pessimist because he thinks of the world as a prison. I would say that I am a realist because I don't really think of the world as a good or bad place, I just think of it as a place.
3. Is Polonius justified in how he plans to use Ophelia to find more about Hamlet?
I would say that this is an unfair way to do this because Hamlet does not know who is around during his actions

4. At this point in the play, do you think Hamlet is really crazy or his he pretending to be insane? How does Hamlet act differently when he's around people and when he's giving soliloquies by himself i.e. end of Act II?
I think that he is pretending to be insane because he is so frustrated with every thing that is happening in his world right now. He is more calm when he is giving soliloquies.

5. Why do you think Hamlet's so attracted to the theater/acting? Why do you think he uses the play as a way to test his theory? Is Hamlet right be angry at himself for not acting on the ghost's words? Why?
He likes it because he can use it as an alternate reality to the world. He uses the play as a test because he thinks there is very low risk to it. I think that he is right for not acting on the ghosts words because he said that he believed in the words and apparently he doesn't now.

6. Are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern wrong for spying on Hamlet? Why or why not? How do you think Hamlet feels after they admit they were sent for by the Queen and King?
I would not say they are wrong because they are being forced by the King and Queen to do it. I think he feels worried after they tell him that they were sent.

1. Pick a passage from Act I of Hamlet. Write it down. Practice citing it (Ham.Act.Scene.Line Numbers). Why did you pick this passage? What do you think it's trying to say?

Before my God, I might not this believe withought the sensible and true avouch of mine own eyes (Hamlet.ActI.SceneI.68-70)

I picked this passage because to me it is kind of funny for me to imagine what a person in Horatio's position would say in modern times.

I think that he is pretty much saying: Wow! I cannot believe that I just saw a ghost even though I saw it with my own eyes.


2. The ghost is Hamlet plays a crucial role in setting events in motion? Are you a Horatio(skeptic of ghosts) or a Marcellus(believer in ghosts)? Why or why not?

I would say that I am a lot more like Horatio because I like to have concrete evidence that I can see to be able to believe in most things.

3. We get to know characters via a variety of channels: what they do, what they say, what they think, how they're described, and what others say/think about them. Do a character analysis of one of the following characters: Hamlet, Claudius, Horatio, Gertrude Find a specific passage for each of the following.
Hamlet
What They Say/Think: He is kind of sad and depressed

Passage:(Hamlet.ActI.SceneII.79-89)

What They Do:Talks about how he wants to take action against Claudius, but can't.

Passage:(Hamlet.ActI.SceneII.134-163)

How They're Described:Described as being sad all the time

Passage:(Hamlet.ActI.SceneII.70-74)

What Other Characters Say/Think About Them:He is not liked by many people

Passsage:(Hamlet.ActI.SceneSceneIII.122-142)


Based on all of the textual evidence, what is your overall opinion about this character?
I would say that he is very misunderstood because he cannot show his true personality because he is very sad.

4. Put yourself in Hamlet's position, what would would do with the news from the ghost? Do you trust the ghost's word or do you need better evidence? Would you tell anyone else what the ghost said to you or would you keep it a secret?
I would trust the ghost's word because I would think that there would be a good reason for there being a ghost. I would keep the news a secret and then I would carry out what he has asked me to do.

Hamlet Prediscussion ?'s

1. Is revenge sometimes the right approach in dealing with someone that has wronged you? Why or why not?

I think that revenge is never the wrong approach because you are just going to cause more problems by taking revenge.


2. Is it better to think before you act or act before you think? Why?

It is better to think before you act because you may not know all the facts in a situation so you don't make a mistake in your act.


3. Is there one singular reality, or do each of create our own realities through our perceptions and attitudes?

Our perceptions create our realities because we all think differently.

4. What are the qualities of a good friendship? Is it ever okay to spy on a friend if you are concerned about them?

Trust and belief are qualities of a good friendship, and I think it would be ok to spy on someone in some situations.


5. Should parents let their children make their own mistakes and let them learn from it, or should they keep a close eye on them?

They should let them make their own mistakes, so they learn from personal experience.

6. Should children always be supportive of parents if they decide to remarry after their spouse’s death or divorce?

I think that that decision should be up to the child because their personality may just clash with their new parent.


7. Is there ever a time when grieving process goes too far?

I think there is a certain point where it gets ridiculous and you have to grow up sometime and just become a bigger and more mature person.

Matrix Questions #2

1. The character of Cypher makes a decision that returning to the Matrix and living in its alternative reality instead of being fully conscious of the reality. This goes against the decision made by the released prisoner from the Cave. Why do you think Cypher decided to go back to the Matrix instead of living fully aware? Is his reasoning valid? Is ignorance bliss? Why?

I think that he did it because he didn't want to live the hard life of the real world anymore. In one of the previous scenes, it seemed kind of like he was tired of being a part of the real world. I would say that his reasoning is valid because he just felt no reason to stay in the real world. I would also say that ignorance is bliss because if you don't know about something, you have no reason to worry about it.

2. Neo is prophecized to be the one by Morpheus. Does Neo seem to accept this high profile role? What other character from literature you've read seems to be placed in this hero/savior role by others?

I don't think that he accepts this role until the part where Morpheus goes through the wall to fight the agent. Another character in this role would be Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit.

3. Humans are described by humans as a disease, imperfect, for a perfected technological program, yet the machine is viewed as the enemy/evil even though its reason and logic is supposed unflawed. What would the world be like if everyone was perfect and logical? What are other examples in movies and books where technology becomes the enemy/evil?

The world would be very, very boring if everyone was perfect. There would be no personalities and no exciting events, such as sporting events, would never happen. Another example of a movie where technology is evil is I Am Robot.

Matrix Questions #1

1. Explain how Neo's experience in and out of the Matrix parallels the Allegory of the Cave. Be specific using examples from each text.

They are similar because when they come out of the narrow world they were in before, they feel pain because they have never experienced the things that they are experiencing now. There are lots of new things in the actual world of the matrix just like there are new things in the world outside of the cave.

2. Morpheus poses the question, "what is real? how do you define real?" We're going to read literature that poses that very question. What tools and indicator do we use to define and describe the world around us? Is reality a definite concept measurable and quantifiable, or is it a fluid concept defined by perceptions? Why?

I think that we use our own mind to define the world around us. I think that what is real is a fluid concept by what we think in our mind. If we cannot grasp a concept, we just think that something is unreal and that it is foolish to even think that it is a real thing. I think the reason for this is that we are scared of the things that we cannot grasp and so we just deny those things.


3. The Matrix is part of the science-fiction genre, and while we may not be controlled by technology in the literal sense as The Matrix describes, does our current society in 2008 parallel the the world of The Matrix in certain ways? Has technology actually the lessened the quality of life in some ways? Why or why not?

Technology has allowed for new types of criminals such as hackers and scam artists. This makes it dangerous for us to be on the internet and to share our information with other people in fear that it might get stolen. So I would say that it has lessened the quality of life in some ways, but it has mostly improved life because it has made jobs easier and information sharing easier.

"The Cave"

1. Summarize what the allegory is about in your own paragraph

I think that the story is about learning new things and having new experiences. Even though you may not like it at first, you will come to appreciate it and cherish it. It becomes your responsibility to teach others about the new things that you have learned and get them in touch with the new things in their lives.


2. What do you think Socrates is trying to say about the nature of reality/truth?

I think that he is saying that it takes a while to understand the truth of reality, but once we do understand it then we will truly be able to appreciate it.

3. How does this allegory relate to the learning process and education in general?

We may think that some of the things we are learning right now are stupid and worthless to learn, but we will soon come to find out that we are learning many important lessons right now that we won't realize until later in our lives.

4. Think about our modern day technological society; how does this allegory written thousands of years ago connect to our culture?

People used to think that technology was bad, but more and more of those people have came to realize that technology can have a great positive impact on our lives and that they are very useful for doing things in our lives.

Sentence Composing # 7- Delayed Adverbs Practice 2

Sentence Composing # 7- Delayed Adverbs Practice 2

Single Delayed Adverb: They smiled, delicately, like weary children remembering a party.
--John Steinbeck, Cannery Row

Multiple Delayed Adverb: He worked himself to death, finally and precisely, at 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning
--Ellen Goodman, Close to Home

Practice 2: Unscrambling to Imitate

In the model and the scrambled list, identify the delayed adverb. Next, unscramble and write out the sentence parts to imitate the model. Finally, write your own imitation of the model and identify and delayed adverb.

Model: As I watched him, he seemed to adjust himself a little, visibly
--F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
a. a bit

b. she tried to excuse herself

c. when she told him

d. lamely
c,b,a,d
Own Sentence: When we saw them, they tried to move away, feebly.

Practice 3: Combining to Imitate

In the model identify the delayed adverbs. Next, combine the list of sentences to imitate the model. Finally, write your own imitation of the model and identify any delayed adverbs.

Model: The cars traveled Reynolds Streets, slowly and evenly.
--Annie Dillard, An American Childhood

a. a girl crossed a street

b. The street was Washington Avenue.

c. She crossed the street confidently.

d. And she cross the street purposefully.

A girl crossed Washington Avenue, confidently and purposefully.

Own Sentence: Barbara walked through the plaza, speedily and angrily.

Practice 4: Imitating

Identify the delayed adverbs in the models and sample imitations. Then write an imitation of each model sentence, one sentence part at a time.

1. Still winded, Smith sat up, slowly.
--Robert Ludlum, The Moscow Vector

Sample: Almost finished, Peter speed up triumphantly.

Own Sentence: At the end, John pumped his arms victoriously.

2. We explored the streams, quietly, where the turtles slid off the sunny logs and dug their way into the soft lake bottom.
--E.B. White "Once More to the Lake"

Sample: We walked the streets, dreamily, where the sun set in the crystal sky and melted its way over the inky black skyscrapers.


Own Sentence: They rode the course timidly, and didn't finish until most of the crowd had left because of boredom.

3. He was clambering, heavily, among the creepers and broken trunks, when a bird, a vision of red and yellow, flashed upwards with a witch-like cry.
--William Golding, Lord of the Flies

Sample: She was running, desperately, between the road the railroad track, after a car, her hope for escape and rescue, passed by with an oblivious driver.

Own Sentence: He was skating, slowly, between the two goals, after his daughter, his pride and joy, when he was hit by another skater

Sentence Composing # 6- Opening Adverb- Practice 2,3, and 4

Practice 2: Unscrambling to Imitate- In the model and the scramblist, identify the opening adverb. Next, unscramble a write out the sentence parts to imitate the model. Finally, write your own imitation of the model and identify the opening adverb.

Model: Suddenly, Alfred, who had heard the fight from the across the street, attacked from the rear with his favorite weapon, an indoor ball bat.
John Steinbeck, Cannery Row


a. sat up in the bed with her nightly snack

b. who had read the novel for over two hours

c. Jasmine

d. afterward

e. a mini Oreo cookie

Afterward, Jasmine, who had read the novel for over two hours, sat up in the bed with her nightly snack, a mini Oreo cookie.

Own Sentence: Unexpectedly, John, who had been sitting all by himelf for an hour, jumped up and put himself right into the discussion, which was very heated.

Practice 3: Combining to Imitate

In the model, identify the opening adverb. Next, combine the list of sentences to imitate the model. Finally, write your own imitation of the model and identify any opening adverbs.

Model: Outside, the doctor's car was surrounded by the boy while Finny was being lifted inside by Phil Latham.
John Knowles, A Separate Peace

a. This happened inside.

b. The younger children were involved with games.

c. While they were involved, Laura was being tutored near them.

d. The tutoring was by their teacher.

Inside, while the younger children were involved with games, the teacher tutored Laura near them.

Own Imitation Sentence: Outside, while the other people were playing pool, the student was studying her book just inside the door.

Practice 4: Imitating
Identify the opening adverbs in the model and then write your own example.

1. Here, relatives swarmed like termites.
--Wallace Stegner, Crossing to Safety

Own Imitation: Outside, the people were packed in like cows.

2. Slowly, methodically, miserably, she ate the jellied bread.
Toni Morrison, Beloved

Own Imitation: Angrily, quickly, suddenly, Bob punched Dan in the face.

3. Very slowly and very carefully, Harry got to his feet and set off again as fast as he could without making too much noise, hurrying through the darkness back toward Hogwarts.
--J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Own Imitation: Very stealthily and very sneakily, Chuck was able to sneak around the guards and get back to his room, without being sighted by the ominous guards and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Argumentative Paragraph

The Knight's Tale and The Miller's Tale are both provincial love stories, but the happenings in the story are very different. Both of the stories contain illicit relationships, but each story contains a very different type of love. Both stories contain, a woman, beautiful and young. But the loves in each of the stories are very different. In the knight's tale, the love is an instant affinity that two men have for one unmarried woman. In the Miller's tale, the love is not found until after a short time and is hard to come by because the woman being loved is married. It is very possible the the love in the Miller's tale is not true love, just a love of passion, as is concured from this statement (Chaucer, lines 94-95) "O darling, love me, love me now. Or shall i die, and pray that God me save!" So the thought that I obtain from this is that the stories are similar in nature, but are very different in seriousness and one has to be taken more seriously than the other.

Sentence Composing #5-Delayed Adjectives- Practice 4 and 5

Practice 4: Imitating

Directions: Identify the delayed adjectives in the models and sample imitations. Then write an imitation of each model sentence, one sentence part at a time.

1. Dumpster diving is outdoor work, often surprisingly pleasant.
--Lars Eighner, "On Dumpster Diving"

Sample: Doing homework is necessary discipline, sometimes incredibly helpful.
Example: Running a marathon is very hard, but incredibly satisfying.

2. The baby's eyes were the shape of watermelon seeds, very black and cut very precisely into her small, solemn face.
--Anne Tyler, Digging to America

Sample: The unspoken pain was the weight of river rocks ,very heavy and embedded most certainly into her aching body.

Example: The unfathomable aching was from being hit in the arm, repeatedly and accurately into the same spot on the body.

3. I shivered as he tossed the feathered corpse of the dead chicken, limp as a cloth, into the back of the truck.
--Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

Sample: I stared as he threw the battered ball from the garbage can, smelly as a foot, into the field of the pitcher.

Example: The crowd looked on as she ran around the field, fast as the wind, around each base.

Practice 5: Expanding

The delayed adjectives are omitted at the caret mark (^) in the following sentences. For each caret, add a delayed adjective or adjective phrase, blending your content and style with the rest of the sentence.
1. The man topple to one side, crumpled against the railing, ^unconscious.
--Robert Ludlum, The Prometheus Deception

2. The spiders like of their sides, ^calm and ^unmoving, their legs drying in knots.
--Annie Dillard, "Death of a Moth"

3. He was twenty-sex, dark haired ^handsome, ^strong, ^smart, and ^friendly.
--John Steinbeck, Cannery Row

Sentence Composing #5-Delayed Adjective Practice

Practice 1: Matching

Match the delayed adjectives with the sentences. Write out each sentences, inserting and underlining the delayed adjectives

1. Milk, sticky and sour on her dress, attracted every small flying thing from gnats to grasshoppers.

Toni Morrison, Beloved

2. It seemed dreadful to see the great bear lying there in agony, powerless to move and yet powerless to die.

George Orwell, "Shooting an Elephant"

3. The water in this pool has a dark clarity, like smoked glass, transparent but obscure.

Edward Abbey, "Aravaipa Canyon"

4. Picture poor old Alfy coming home from football practice every evening, bruised and aching agonizingly tired, scarcely able to shovel the mashed potatoes into his mouth.

Paul Roberts, Understanding English

5. I am an enthusiastic laudress, capable of sorting a hamper full of clothes in to five subltly differentiated piles, but a terrible house keeper.

Nancy Mairs, Plaintext

Practice 2: Unscrambling to Imitate

In the model and the scrambled list, identify the delayed adjectives. Next, unscramble and write out the sentence parts of imitate the model. Finally write your own imitation of the model and identify the delayed adjectives.

Model: They ate like men, ravenous and intent

Toni Morrison, Beloved

a. They sang like angels.

b. The angel were pure.

c. And the angel were sweet

They sang like angels, pure and sweet

Own Sentence: They ran like gods, fast and powerful

Practice 3: Combining to Imitate- In the model, identify the delayed adjective, Next, combine the list of sentences to imitate the model. Finally, write your own imitation of the model and identify any delayed adjectives.

Model: He forgot that his Lesser Warders were watching, afraid to interfere.

--Stephen King, The Eyes of the Dragon

a. She knew something

b. What we knew is how her sister were feeling.

c. Her sisters were happy to help.

She knew how her sisters were feeling, happy to help

Own Sentence: He saw how the team acted, sad to be done.

Episode 131- Collective Nouns- Singular or Plural?

My topic was the use of collective nouns and knowing the right situations to use them. I found out that there is really not a wrong way to do this unless you are trying to state something very specifically. I also found out that the rules for using collective nouns is different in Britain than it is in America. In America, you would say: The family is going out to eat. In Britain, you would say: The family are going out to eat. There is not really a wrong way to do this, just a preferred way in each country. But I suppose in our case, getting help on the ACT, we would want to do it the American way since the ACT is an American test.

Sentence Composing # 4- Opening Adjective- Practice 3,4, and 5

Practice 3: Combining to Imitate

In the model, identify the opening adjectives. Next, combine the list of sentences to imitate the model. Finally, write your own imitation of the model and identify any opening adjectives.

Model: Dark, velvety, the beauty of his mustache was enhanced by his strong clean-shaven chin.
--Toni Morrison, Beloved

Opening adjectives: Dark and Velvety

a. His cautionary steps were slow.

b. His cautionary steps were weary.

c. His cautionary were caused by something.

d. The cause was the surrounding overexcited horses.

Slow and weary, his cautionary steps were caused by the surrounding overexcited horses.

Practice 4: Imitating

1. Identify the opening adjectives in the models and sample imitations. Then write an imitation of each model sentences, one sentence part at a time. Read one of your imitations to see if your classmates can guess which model you imitated.

Models:

1. Wordless, we split up.
--Annie Dillard, An American Childhood

Sample: Wet, the napkin fell apart

Opening Adjectives: Wordless and Wet

2. Cold, dark, and windowless, it stretched the length of the house.
--Jessamyn West, "The Child's Day"

Sample: Hot, humid, and muggy, the weather exhausted the stamina of the bikers.

Opening Adjectives: Cold, dark, and windowless; Hot, humid, and muggy

3. Afraid that we might hunt for a cheaper apartment for the next two weeks and find nothing better than this one, we took it

Sample: Happy that we would escape to a lovely beach for the upcoming one month and have nothing but good time, we left home.

Opening Adjectives: Afraid; Happy

Example: Nervously, we entered the cave.

Practice 5: Expanding

The opening adjectives are omitted at the caret mark(^) in the following sentences. For each caret, add an opening adjective or adjective phrase, plending your content and style with the rest of the sentence.

1. Anxiously^, I begain climbing the ladder's rungs, slightly reassured by having Finny right behind me.
--John Knowles, A Seperate Peace

2. Tired^ and Hungry^, he wandered about the many tents, only to find that one place as cold as another.
--Jack London, "To Build a Fire"

3. Absorbed^ and Excited^, my limited reading helped me to know something of a world beyond the four walls of my study.
Christy Brown, My Left Foot

Beowulf Argumemtative Paragraph

In Beowulf, it seems that violence and vengeance are rewarded with gifts and hospitality. In the book, when Beowulf was able to kill Grendel, and subsequently his mother, he was lauded with gifts and hospitality from the Danes. Beowulf did not do this for those gifts, but rather for pride and fame. This is proven as when he arrives back in Geatland, he gives all those gifts and treasures back to Higlac without languishing. The end of the book also rewards violence with treasure, because for killing the dragon, Beowulf was buried with his treasure after he coalesced with Wiglaf to kill the dragon. Beowulf was very erudite and knew he was probably going to die in this battle, but he did it so he could have that treasure and save his people from the dragon. This bravery should be rewarded and it was a very appropriate reward to be buried with all the treasure that he won in his last battle. But in real life, violence should not be rewarded as the rules and goals of the world are very different now then they were back then.

Sentence Composing # 4- Opening Adjective- Practice One and Two

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Sentence Composing # 4- Opening Adjective- Practice One and Two

Practice 1: Matching

Directions: Match opening adjectives with the sentences. Write out each sentence inserting the opening adjectives

Opening Adjectives

A. Alive

B. Hot and justy and over-wearied

C. Lonesome

D. Able to move now

E. Frantic, never turning my head-- because the water buffalo had started his charged

Sentences

1. Lonesome, I wanted to run away and be gone from his strange place.
--Keith Donahue, The Stolen Child

2. Frantic, never turning my head--because the water buffalo had started his charge, I felt behind me, my hand pleading with the rifle
--Theodore Waldeck, "Certain, Sudden Death"

3. Alive, the elephant was worth at least a hundred pounds, but dead, we would only be worth the value of his tusks, five pounds, possibly
--George Orwell "Shooting an Elephant:

4. Able to move now, he rocked his own body back and forth, breath deeply to release the remembered pain.
--Lois Lowry, The Giver

5. Hot and justy and over-wearied, he came to our door and eases his heavy pack and asked for refreshment, and Devola brought him a pail of water from our spring.
--Bill and Vera Cleaver, Where the Lilies Bloom

Practice Two: Unscrambling to Imitate

Directions: In the model and the scrambled list, A. identify the opening adjective. B. Next, unscramble and write out the sentence part to imitate the model. C. Finally, write your own imitation of the model and identify the opening adjective.

Model: Speechless, Bryson scanned the small living room, frantically.
--Robert Ludium, The Prometheus Deception

a. hopefully

b. spotted the soft inviting sofa

c. Kendra

d. uncomfortable

Uncomfortable, Kendra spotted the soft inviting sofa, hopefully.

Angry, Bob felt his bag of discs, frantically.

Sentence Composing #3 Combininb to Imitate

Sentence Composing # 3- Combining to Imitate

These exercises ask you to combine a series of plain sentences into just one varied sentence by changing the plain sentences to sentence parts resembling the model sentence. As you do these exercises, you'll become aware that plain sentences can easily be changed into sentences parts of better, more varied sentences.

Directions: 1. Combine the following sentences to create a sentences that has the same order of sentences parts of the model. 2. Then write your own imitation of the model.

1. Model: Twisting and punching and kicking, the two boys rolled across the floor.

--Lois Duncan, A Gift of Magic

a. The winning team was laughing and yelling and celebrating.

b. The team cavorted.

c. The cavorting was inside the locker room.

Own Sentence: The winning team was laughing and yelling and cavorting inside the locker room.

The kids were singing and yelling and jumping in the play room.

2. Model: He fell back exhausted, his ankle pounding.

--Raplh Ellison, "Flying Home"

a. She raced fast.

b. She was determined.

c. Her lungs her bursting

Own Sentence Her lungs burning, she raced fast and determined

His head pounding, he ran to the sideline.

3. Model: Alone, Tom looked around the room and knew that he was a stranger here.

--Hal Borland, When the Legends Die

a. Clark was afraid.

b. Clark walked down the alley.

c. Clark hoped something.

d. Clark hoped that he was alone there.

Own Sentence Clark hoped he wasn't alone as he walked down the alley, afraid.

Bob wished he was in a different place when he entered the school.

4. Model: The room was empty , a silent world of sinks, drain boards, and lock cupboards.

--Frank Bonham, Chief

a. The arena was full.

b. The area was a huge cavern.

c. It was filled with fans.

d. It was filled with bright lights.

e. And it was filled with exciting music.

Own Sentence The Arena was full, a huge cavern filled with fans, lights, and exciting music.

The house was empty, an enormous cave filled with chairs, couches, and darkness.

Unscrambling Sentences

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Sentence Composing # 2- Unscrambling Sentences to Imitate

The unscrambling of sentence parts helps you to see how those parts connected within the model sentence. As a result, you will glimpse the mind an author composing a sentence so you can go through a similar process when you compose sentences.

Directions: Unscramble the sentence parts to imitate the model. Then write your own imitation of the model (You are creating your own sentence using the same structure as the model)- Topic Idea: Anglo-Saxons or Old English

1. Model: Dumpster diving is outdoor work, often surprisingly pleasant.

--Lars Eighner, "On Dumpster Diving"

a.sometimes quite costly

b. is recreational activity

c. mall strolling

Mall strolling is recreational activity, sometimes quite costly

Frog catching is physical activity, sometimes quite tiring

2. Model: Near the car, idling in front of the mortuary, was a huge Oldsmobile.

--Stephen King, Hearts in Atlantis

a. was a skittering gecko

b. behind the pool

c. zigzagging in back of the cabana

Behind the pool, zigzagging in back of the cabana, was a skittering gecko.

In front of the man, running through the kitchen, was a small snake.

3. Model: Above the field and pastures, the mountains were just becoming visible as the morning fog burned away.

--Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain

a. were just becoming interested

b. when the fire alarm sounded

c. after the cartoons and previews

d. the kids

After the cartoons and previews, the kids were just becoming interested when the fire alarm sounded.

After the soccer game started, the fans were just arriving when it started raining.

4. Model: In the shallows, the dark, water-soaked sticks and twigs, smooth and old, were undulating the clusters on the bottom against the clean ribbed sand.

--E.B. White, "Once More to the Lake"

a. sweet and tasty

b. were beckoning to children

c. in their kiddie seats within their mom's grocery carts

d. on that aisle

e. the tempting, brightly colored candies and lifesavers

On that aisle, the tempting, brightly colored candies and lifesavers, sweet and tasty, were beckoning to children in their kiddie seats within their mom's grocery carts.

In the jungle, the loud, screeching monkeys, red and hairy, were yelling at the tribesmen as they were passing by on the trail.

Anglo Saxon Culture vs. Modern Culture

After examining background information about the Anglo-Saxon period and Old English, write a paragraph comparing and contrasting Anglo-Saxon culture and/or Old English language with the culture you live in today. Are they completely alien of each other or are there interesting similarities?

I would say that there are a lot of similarities. For example, the Romans were very greedy and made the Welsh do backbreaking work so they could make money. This reminds of me of huge corporations that make the little guy do a lot of work, but with very little profit. I would also say though that they are very different because it would take a lot less people now to do the jobs described in the video.