Deadlines: July 24

August 14

September 8

The first two assignments must be in the BHS main office by 3pm on the deadline. The last assignment is due on the first day of class.

Papers will be picked up on that day only after 3pm and missing papers will be a month late.

The school address is: Honors English Summer Assignments

Burbank High School

902 N. Third Street

Burbank, CA 91502

Students who enroll in Honors English must love language and literature. These assignments are not intended to be punitive but rather to provide an opportunity to continue at an appropriate level of challenge. Competent completion of the assignments indicates the self-discipline necessary to succeed in Honors English. Students who do not demonstrate the perquisite skills as they complete the assignments WILL NOT BE ENROLLED.

Due July 24th:

Carefully select and read a biography. Choose a person you admire, detest, glorify, or don't understand, to learn about.

Due August 14th:

Carefully select and read a work of non-fiction on a subject of interest to you.

After having read these works, you will choose one of the following essay topics, and submit the essay, typed, on or before the due date:

1) Discuss how the writer develops his/her ideas. (About 500 words)

2) Discuss your various responses to the book. (About 500 words)

Include a stamped postcard addressed to yourself to receive a timely response.

Due September 8th:

A) Read and collect 6 authored columns from newsmagazines such as Newsweek, Time, Sports Illustrated, WIRED, Yahoo, or US News and World Report. Below is a SUGGESTED list of reputable columnists; you may take your readings from these authors, and you may find and use others that are not on this list. Read as many different columnists as possible; variety can be as educational as consistency.

George F. Will, Mary McGrory

Meg Greenfield, Gene Amole

Ellen Goodman, Ann McFeatters

Mike Royko, Bill Gallo

Otto Friedrich, Lewis Grizzard

Craig Bowman, Mortimer Zuckerman

B) Paste or tape each article to a white sheet of paper so that it could be Xeroxed; correctly write the source information at the top, i.e., Sierra, June 1997, p. 45.

C) On a separate sheet of paper, place the proper identifying heading, i.e., George F. Will, "Remembering Liane, Age Six," Newsweek, May 25, 1997, p. 80. Skip two lines then write the following for EACH article/column:

1. Describe the author's purpose or intention. Why did he write the article?

2. Identify and describe the audience the article appeals to. What kind of audience is the author writing for?

3. Describe the tone of the article, i.e., humorous, satirical, serious, witty, self-effacing, political, etc.

4. Identify and write down words and phrases that exemplify the tone of the article. List several of the most striking verbs or verb phrases used by the author; list several of the most striking adjectives or adjective phrases used by the author.

5. Describe the method of development the author uses, i.e., argument and reasons, rhetorical questions, historical references, personal experience, anecdotal, etc. How does he get his point across? Is the development sequential, linear, zigzag, grasshopper, or circular?

6. Describe the ways the article is relevant to the lives of educated people.

7. Cite examples of the author's diction (word choice/usage) and tell how it is related to the general effectiveness of the article. Is the author's diction (word choice) primarily concrete or abstract, scientific, figurative, colloquial, simple, etc?

8. What questions, puzzles, concerns etc., are raised in your heart and mind (not necessarily answered) by the article?

9. What, if anything, does the article contributed to your personal enlightenment or thinking?

D) This assignment will be graded on sophistication of written expression, completeness, thoughtfulness, and inventiveness.

E) If you do one article/response sheet per week, throughout the summer, you'll be ready to jump right into the course when school starts in September.

This assignment is short to allow ample time for recreational reading.