Honors English III: I, Too Sing America Exam

Literature Questions

  1. Is it possible for a member of a minority group to be racist?
  2. In “A Raisin in the Sun” what lesson does the audience learn about racial identity?
  3. Explain Malcolm X’s view on segregation and contrast it with that of Martin Luther King, Jr.
  4. Why does the white government negotiate to get rid of certain blacks in the Space Traders? What does this negotiation mean?
  5. In “Memoirs of a Bilingual Childhood,” what does Richard Rodriguez conclude about the idea of bilingual education?
  6. Discuss the persuasive strategies used in Letters from a Birmingham Jail.
  7. Compare and contrast the theme of “I Too Sing America” with any other work we’ve discussed.
  8. Explain the theme of “The Mother,” using evidence from the poem.
  9. In the “Apotheosis of Martin Luther King,” how does the author compare King to a God?

Grammar/Writing

  • Parallelism
  • Modifiers
  • Active/Passive Voice
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English III: Wilderness Literature Exam

Instructions: Answer the questions below, each in a fully developed paragraph with specific examples that demonstrate knowledge of the text, notes, and discussion. You may use your wilderness packet, but not any notes. You must use at least 6 different readings in your responses.

1.      How does John Muir’s view of the environment differ from that of Aldo Leopold?
2.      Is the piece by William Cronon a critique of environmentalism or a call to improve it? Defend your answer.
3.      Using at least three sources, make an argument for what should be done to the national parks.
4.      Either defend or critique Rachel Carson’s call for the elimination of DDT.
5.      Is bioregionalism a legitimate answer to the environmental problems the world is facing? Use at least two sources.
6.      Does environmentalism rely too much of fear to change people’s attitudes. Reference Robert Bidinotto and at least one other source in your answer.
7.      What, according to William Cronon, has created the current American belief system about the environment?
8.      Explain Aldo Leopold’s idea of the Land Ethic.
9.      How does Henry David Thoreau use his examination of nature to explain human behavior?

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English III Writing Resources

As you work on your revisions and second persuasive essays, these are some resources that you might find helpful:

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Puritan Literature Test Questions

There will be five questions on the Puritan Literature test tomorrow. Each answer should be a full paragraph, with good supporting detail from the text.

 

  1. How do the values expressed in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” manifest themselves in “The Crucible”? How do the characters there demonstrate the beliefs and values of Reverend Edwards?
  2. One of the themes of The Scarlet Letter is Hawthorne’s criticism of the hypocrisy of the Puritan leadership. How does Hawthorne show this criticism?
  3. What did the Puritans mean when they talked about a “city on a hill”?  How did they believe that they could create a more perfect society in America?
  4. What does Pearl symbolize in The Scarlet Letter? Discuss both how her mother sees her at the time of her birth, her actions in the text, and the life she leads after the story.
  5. Reverend Dimmesdale is a character torn between conflicting desires. What are those desires, and what theme does his struggle reveal?
  6. In “The Crucible,” Arthur Miller argues that every member of society is vulnerable to accusation. How does this central theme relate to sin and honor?

 

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English III Modern Fiction Final Exam

If you look below, you can see all of the stories that you need to know, the authors, and some sample questions.  Review the stories you don’t remember as well and the notes. Your Grapes of Wrath final draft must be delivered to me by 3:20 on Monday, with no exceptions.

 

Authors

  • William Faulkner
  • Flannery O’Connor
  • Eudora Welty
  • Ernest Hemingway
  • Raymond Carver
  • James Thurber

Stories

  • Faulkner-“A Rose for Emily”
  • O’Connor-“The Life You Save May Be Your Own”
  • Welty- “A Worn Path”
  • Hemingway-“Soldier’s Home”  “Hills Like White Elephants” “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place“
  • Carver- “Everything Sticks to Him”
  • Thurber-“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”

Sample Questions

  • Compare and Contrast the fantasy worlds of the protagonists from “A Secret Life of Walter Mitty” and “A Worn Path.” How does each author feel about the illusions created by his/her protagonist, and what theme can a reader discern from each?
  • How does William Faulkner’s complex use of point of view enhance both the thematic depth and mystery of “A Rose for Emily”?
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