Summer Reading Assignment 2014-2015
AP Language and Composition is a course designed to teach students critical reading and writing skills that will prepare them for college and the world beyond school. Students will read works from various authors, time periods and subject matters to examine author’s purpose and effectiveness. The ultimate goal of this course is for students to become engaged critical thinkers. The skills covered include rhetorical analysis, synthesis and argumentation and all of these are measured by the AP exam given in May. This course is assessed as a college level course, and students are expected to act as if they are in a college course. To prepare students for this, summer reading and writing are required. Read all of the directions below and complete all assignments by the due date.
Part I: Select one of the choices and compose a personal essay in repose. Your writing must be a typed, well-developed and organized piece of writing which demonstrates your command of the English language (no serious grammar errors). Your response should be 500 words minimum.
In what ways has your life up to now been the perfect teacher for you?
Discuss a mistake you have made and how it has helped you to grow.
How do you want to improve yourself both academically and personally over the next year?
Who are you and who do you hope to become?
What does your education mean to you?
This essay will serve as my first introduction to you and is due the second class that we meet. (Wednesday, August 27th and Thursday, August 28th)
Part II: You will read the following 2 essays. Both essays are available to online and can be accessed via the links below. It is highly recommended that you PRINT out the essays and read them as a hard copy. After reading, complete the assignment that follows.
Essay 1: Elie Wiesel: “Why I Write”-Elie Wiesel is the author of Night, a book about his traumatic experience during the Holocaust. He is a lauded speaker and writer who frequently speaks on the horrors of abuse and discrimination. In his essay, he explains why he must always write and the purpose it serves in his life.
Essay can be found and downloaded from: www.litjunkies.com/Why%20I%20Write.doc
Essay 2: George Orwell: “Why I Write”-George Orwell is a famous British author. His works include Animal Farm and 1984. These novels were written after World War II devastated Europe and left many fearful of the rise of dictatorships that would trample on the rights of individuals. This essay outlines the perspectives of Orwell and explains the reason that one must write for the sake of themselves and society as a whole.
Essay can be found and downloaded from: http://orwell.ru/library/essays/wiw/english/e_wiw
After reading both Orwell’s and