Sophomore Honors World Literature Final Exam Review Guide

Hello Sophomores:
As you know, the final exam constitutes 20% of your semester grade. There will be a 66 question objective exam (true false, fill in, multiple choice, etc.). This is worth 40% of your exam grade, or 8% of your semester grade. The exam will cover the following topics: Ideas from How to Read Literature Like a Professor, The Tao te Ching, This I Believe, Joseph Campbell, and creation myths. There will also be questions about The 10% Solution, basic writing conventions and techniques we have covered (such as how to blend a citation), lead and conclusion techniques we've focused on in class, reading comprehension strategies we've learned, and parables.

The other 60% of your exam is an essay exam (or, in other words, 12% of your semester grade). The basics for the essay are as follows: Essay Section: The essay is worth 100 points. In order to earn full credit, your essay must have the following elements:

1. An interesting title.

2. Be legible and be clear of conventions errors.

3. Have a clear thesis.

4. Support that thesis with evidence (e.g. citations) from texts we’ve read.

5. Have blended citations that are conventionally correct.

6. Use a lead and conclusion technique we studied well, and identify those techniques in your header.

You will then be assigned one of the two following essay prompts at random. Prepare for both of them. You are allowed to have one index card no larger than 3x5 with notes on them to help you with the essay. This must be an index card or piece of paper cut to these specifications or you won't be allowed to use it. I suggest notes for one essay prompt on one side and notes for the other essay prompt on the other, as you don't know which essay you will be given.

1. Explain how Taoist principles and ideas are present in several of the novels we read this year.

2. Choose at least three characters (each from a different novel) that we have read about this semester and explain a common belief they all share and how those beliefs manifests themselves in how the characters live their lives.

Thursday, December 17 and Friday, December 18

May the Force be with (the) Utes: Utah will blow out BYU 35-14 and just watch - it will be revealed Luke is actually Kylo Ren and has turned to the dark side after he kills Han Solo. It'll be a sad day for the Baird family when that happens, but that's my prediction.

Freshmen: Today we shared your Grandparent Project essays and chose your Poetry Out Loud poems. You need to start memorizing your poems and need to bring a printed copy of your poem to class every day from now on.

Sophomores: Today we discussed several ideas related to The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. For homework over the break, read the following chapters from How to Read Literature Like a Professor: "Is He Serious?", "A Test Case", and "Envoi." For extra credit, read "Postlude: Who's In Charge?" I am canceling the essay that is due with the readings. Just finish up your This I Believe project.

CNF: Today we finished watching Murder on a Sunday Morning. You can find it on youtube.

Wednesday, December 16

Freshmen: Today we talked about Of Mice and Men. We also read a coming-of-age poem about a loss of innocence titled "The Death of Santa Claus." If you want to type up a poem about a coming of age experience you've had, you can get extra credit. It's due before the break. Finish your Grandparent Project essay for our next class meeting. I need to see some kind of evidence of the gift you are giving that day as well. Also that day I will collect your Poetry Out Loud worksheets.

Sophomores: Tomorrow, you need to have finished reading The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and the readings from How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Your essay is due no later than Friday.

CNF: Today we began watching Murder on a Sunday Morning, which you can see on youtube.

Monday, December 14

Freshmen: Today we continued listening to Billy Collins. This week you should be finishing Of Mice and Men and the guide sheet, as well as your Grand Parent Project. Due to the number of absentees today, your Poetry Out Loud worksheet will be due on Tuesday rather than today. You have a Membean quiz tonight.

Sophomores: Today we worked on reading the rest of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. If you want to bring a device the next two days to class, you can work on your essay or read during the time I provide you to work. The essay is due to me as a paper copy and to Membean no later than Friday this week. Any revisions on your essays for The Alchemist are due the day we return from winter break. You have a Membean quiz tonight.

CNF: Today we finished reading Gladwell and Freakonomics. We will have a seminar on them tomorrow.

Friday, December 11

Freshmen: Today we focused on Billy Collins and the things he does well as a writer of poetry, and more importantly in terms of the upcoming Poetry Out Loud competition, as a performer of poetry. This weekend, you need to read everything through page 84 in Of Mice and Men and complete your Poetry Out Loud introductory worksheet. 

Sophomores: Today we focused on reading as much of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. You need to finish reading the book by Thursday, and complete your essay by the end of next week. The chapters from How to Read Literature Like a Professor I am assigning to this book are "Nice to Eat With You", "He's Blind for a Reason", "It's Never Just Heart...", "...And Rarely Just Illness", "Marked For Greatness", and "Where Have I Seen..."

CNF: We read and will take one more day to finish our reading about crime deterrents.  

Sophomore Honors Extra Credit Opportunity

Hi. Because so much of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is about the mind-body connection, if you want extra credit, listen to the following podcast: http://www.onbeing.org/program/bodys-grace-matthew-sanfords-story/185. Click on "Play Episode." It's about an hour long. The unedited version is much longer - I'd stick with the edited one. Once you've listened to it, write a one page double spaced reaction to it, reflecting on the ideas shared that help you understand The Diving Bell and the Butterfly better. It'd be great to see you integrate some of the ideas into your analytical essay, as well. I'll give up to 50 points, but you have to agree to listen to the entire podcast.

Thursday, December 10

Freshmen: Today we introduced Poetry Out Loud. You need to fill out the form I gave you by Monday. We will choose poems to memorize that day. Keep working on Membean as well.

Sophomores: Today we finished the film version of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. You should start reading the book. It needs to be finished by next Thursday - that works out to 19 pages a night. Tonight, read the chapters "Prologue", "The Wheelchair", "Prayer," and "Bathtime." Keep working on Membean as well.

CNF: Today we continued our study of crime prevention and the various theories of why it has dropped the past two decades.

Tuesday, December 8 and Wednesday, December 9

Freshmen: Today we focused on the lead and conclusion techniques we learned earlier this year. For Thursday's class, you should be through page 60 in Of Mice and Men. Be sure to work on Membean, and don't forget, your letter to the editor is due Thursday.

Sophomores: Today we nearly finished the film version of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. You should be reading the assigned readings from How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Also work on Membean this week.

CNF: Today we got a good start on figuring out why crime has decreased in the past couple of decades in stead of increasing, as expected.

Monday, December 7

Freshmen: Today we focused on a review of the lead and conclusion techniques we learned a few months ago. Continue reading in Of Mice and Men - you should be through page 48 for our next class meeting, and work on the guide sheet you were given as you do so. Work on Membean twice this week for a total of 25 minutes, with a minimum of five minutes on any one given day.

Sophomores: Today we began a film version of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. You should begin reading some of the assigned chapters from How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Work on Membean twice this week for a total of 25 minutes, with a minimum of five minutes on any one given day.

CNF: Today we finished watching Hoop Dreams and had some small group discussions.

Friday, December 4

Freshmen: Today we did a close reading of some of EB White's work in Charlotte's Web. You now should be able to use lists, repetition, and a mix of short and complex sentences as a writer. You are to access your Seven Step Essay on turnitin.com, look at the comments, and revise and improve your essay based on the comments. Once you have revised and improved your piece, print it, and on the printed copy, annotate (i.e. write) why you made the improvements that you did. This is due Monday. Also due Monday is your work on Membean and reading everything through page 36 in Of Mice and Men. Keep working on your Grandparent Project Essay, and don't forget your Letter to the Editor is due next week...

Sophomores: Today we did some prep work prior to reading The Diving Bell and The Butterfly. While you revise your essay on The Power of One and finish working on Membean this weekend, also read some of the chapters from How to Read Literature Like a Professor that correspond to The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. They are: "Nice to Eat With You," "Marked for Greatness," "He's Blind for a Reason" (this one is critical - read it first),  "It's Never Just Heart Disease," "And Rarely Just Illness," and "Now, Where Have I Seen Her Before?"

CNF: Today we continued Hoop Dreams. We'll finish on Monday. You may want to do some research on what happens to William and Arthur post-film.

Thursday, December 3

Freshmen: Today we worked on the skill of visualization. As you read Of Mice and Men, try to visualize, as clearly as you can, what Steinbeck is sending you (remember Stephen King's theory of writing as a form of telepathy). You should read through page 24 tonight. Don't forget about Membean.

Sophomores: Today we wrapped up our reading of The Alchemist. A paper copy of your analytical essay is due tomorrow in class and an electronic copy is due to turnitin.com by midnight on Friday. Those doing a revision of their essay about The Power of One need to hand it in on Monday. Don't forget about Membean.

CNF: We continued to view Hoop Dreams.

Tuesday, December 1 and Wednesday, December 2

Freshmen: Today we worked for a little while on your Grandparent Project essay. The rest of this needs to be done on your own; refer to the handout I gave you if you have questions. We also began reading Of Mice and Men. For Thursday's class you should read pages 1-12. As you read, work on the  guide sheet for the book. Work on Membean this week, as well.

Sophomores: Today we focused on the concept of irony. We also spent some time working on your analytical essays about The Alchemist. I hope that time was useful for you. You should be done with The Alchemist and the readings in How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thursday's class, and your essay is due no later than Friday (both paper and turnitin.com copies). Your The Power of One essay revisions are due Monday. Work on Membean this week, as well.

CNF: We continued viewing Hoop Dreams (you know you hear that song in your head right now).