Dear Prospective AP Lang and Comp Student

June 10, 2014

Dear Prospective AP Lang and Comp Student,

Congratulations on having chosen a challenging and exciting course for the next year! We find that students who set their sights high are rarely disappointed, while those who take the easy way often regret it.

The study of AP Language is a large mind-shift for most students. The focus in this class is twofold. First of all, the study of AP Language requires that you make giant leaps in the quality and sophistication of your reading. To that end, we will read non-fiction literature of many varieties and levels, working always to increase our understanding, not just of the meaning of the text, but also for how the text is written. Secondly, we will analyze this literature, concentrating on how the text creates meaning. We will analyze literary techniques, the various ways in which authors use words and sentences, and the ways authors create mood and tone.

Over the summer you are expected to:

1. Read and take notes on Eats Shoots & Leaves.

2. Read and take notes on ONE non-fiction book. Bring a 50-100 word typed passage and analysis from this text on the first day of class.

3. Read and print out 5 current articles by one columnist and 1 visual argument related to an issue brought up in one of your columnist’s articles. Complete a Journalist Columnist Response form for each article and visual.

If you wish to prepare any further, our best advice to you is to read everything you can get your hands on, from the editorials in the newspaper to the back of the cereal box.

Part 1: Read all of Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss. First published in Great Britain in 2003, critics, writers and teachers have hailed this as the most approachable text dealing with punctuation and mechanics to date. We will be working with a variety of complex writing structures, so an understanding of basic syntax, grammar, and punctuation is essential. You are expected to possess a working knowledge of punctuation rules, and this text will not only assist with this, but entertain as well. As you read, jot down key points. Come to class prepared to discuss this text and the ideas it contains.

Part 2:Read one of the following non-fiction texts:The DividebyMatt TaibbiandMolly Crabapple or The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown or Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo. Take notes on important details from the book. Type one passage of 50-100 words in length from the book that you think is representative of the writer’s style, or that you thought was particularly interesting or well-written. Bring this passage and your notes with you on the first day of class. During the first week of school, you will need to be prepared to speak knowledgably about this book.

When you have found a passage you would like to talk about, write a page, typewritten about that passage. Do not summarize it. Instead, at the top of your page, type the passage and page number and explain why this passage is representative of the author’s style. What did he/she wish to convey? After writing this statement, consider HOW he or she accomplished the purpose. What writing tools did the author use to get the message across? This HOW will be the subject of your one page writing.
Consider:
The length (or brevity) of the sentences
The particular choice of words (why this word and not that)
The use of alliteration, metaphor, simile or any of the literary terms you know
The use of a particular image (why is that image effective?)
The author’s appeals to ethos, pathos, or logos
The tone at a given time (is the language slow and solemn, light and carefree, ironic, tragic, etc.) How did the author achieve that effect?

This entry need not be lengthy; one fully word-processed page is ample. All entries must be in MLA format. An excellent resource for MLA formatting can be found at

Part 3: As a means of creating a foundation of examples and ideas to support the arguments you will be asked to make, you must keep abreast of public discourse issues. To this end, you will be required to follow a national columnist. You must collect five current columns by your author (about one every other week). On this handout, you will find links to columnists and journalistic web sites where you will find the name of a specific columnist and a link to his/her work. Archives can be searched on some of the columnist's sites, but many publications require payment for articles older than one or two weeks. Therefore, check your columnist's web site weekly. You must also collect one related visual source (one which relates to an issue raised by one of your columnist’s articles). Visuals can be ads, cartoons, posters, photos, tables, graphs, charts, sculptures, paintings, etc.

Collect 5 current articles by one columnist and 1 visual argument related to an issue brought up in one of your columnist’s articles.
Copy or print out the piece.
For EACH article and visual, complete a Journalist Columnist Response form.

***It is important to note that a thorough understanding of current events gives students a strong advantage in this course, so although you need to collect at least six articles, the more articles you read, the better.***

What to do if you are going to be away for the summer and will not have access to a national or international newspaper or magazine written in English:

1. Access articles online.

2. Use the public library before you go and when you get home. They keep back issues for a certain time period.

3. Ask a friend or family member to buy and save several issues of news articles for you to read when you come home.

4. Subscribe to news magazines before you leave and catch up on reading when you get home.

To review, over the summer you are expected to:

1. Read and take notes on Eats Shoots & Leaves.

2. Read and take notes on ONE of the non-fiction books above. Bring a 50-100 word typed passage and analysis from this text on the first day of class.

Summer Reading Definitions

The following definitions will help you prepare for the writing components of this summer reading assignment and the basic vocabulary you will need for this course. You are encouraged to mark passages/page numbers thatrelate to these elements for future reference.

An assertion is a statement, claim, contention, allegation, or declaration.

Detail includes facts, observations, and incidents used to develop a subject or make an abstraction concrete. A lack of detail can also be a powerful tool to focus the reader’s attention on what isn’t said or shown.

Diction refers to the writer’s word choices, especially withregard to connotation, correctness, clearness, and effectiveness. A writer might describe an author’s diction as formal or informal, ornate or plain.

Writers and speakers appeal toethos, or character of a person, to demonstrate that they are credible and trustworthy.

Imagery is the verbal representation of the five senses. On a broader and deeper level, however, images can be used as metaphors or symbols, and one image can represent more than one thing.

Writers and speakers appeal to logos, or reason, by offering clear, logical ideas.

Writers and speakers appeal to pathos, or emotion, to engage an audience.

Rhetoricis the study of effective, persuasive language use, including thinking, writing, and speaking strategies; rhetoricians analyze and evaluate what works and what does not work in a specific context.

Syntaxis the way an author chooses tojoin words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. Syntax involves groups of words, while diction refers to the individual words.

Tonedescribes the author’s attitude toward his or her material, the audience, or both. Considering how a work would sound if it were read aloud can help in identifying an author’s tone. Some words describing tone are pedantic, accusatory, serious, businesslike, sarcastic, humorous, melancholic, dejected, authoritative, ironic, inquisitive, condescending, zealous, reverent, cynical, satirical, facetious, scornful, apathetic, candid, vibrant, whimsical, cryptic, pompous, sardonic, denunciatory, poignant, objective, didactic, nostalgic, zealous, contemptuous, urgent, sentimental, insolent, inflammatory,pensive, incredulous, self-deprecating, benevolent and somber.Of course, don’t just limit yourself to these words.Find the best tone wordto describe your passage.

Definitions guided by:

Swovelin, Barbara V. English Language and Composition: Preparation Guide. Lincoln: Cliffs, 1993.

Shea, Renee, et al. The Language of Composition. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin’s, 2008.

We look forward to meeting all of you next year! Please feel free to email us should you have any questions. Our emails are:

Have a restful and invigorating summer.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Cole

Mrs. Rintala

Miss Gregory

AP Language and Composition Instructors

Suggestions—Realize that some writers are more conservative and some more liberal. Choose whomever you like.

Anne Applebaum (Washington Post)

Mark Bowden (The Atlantic)

David Brooks (NY Times)

Richard Cohen (Washington Post)

Gail Collins (NY Times)

Megan Daum (LA Times)

E.J. Dionne (Washington Post)

Ross Douthat (NY Times)

Thomas Friedman (NY Times)

Georgie Anne Geyer (UPS – uexpress.com)

Fred Grimm (Miami Herald)

Jane Healy (Orlando Sentinel)

Bob Herbert (NY Times)

Carl Hiassen (Miami Herald)

Arianna Huffington (huffingtonpost.com)

David Ignatius (Washington Post)

Fred Kaplan (Slate.com)

Charles Krauthammer (Washington Post)

Nicholas Kristof (NY Times)

Paul Krugman (NY Times)

Dahlia Lithwick (Slate.com)

Doyle McManus (LA Times)

Peggy Noonan (Wall Street Journal)

Andres Oppenheimer (Miami Herald)

Kathleen Parker (Washington Post)

Leonard Pitts (Miami Herald)

Frank Rich (NY Times)

Eugene Robinson (Washington Post)

Gregory Rodriguez (LA Times)

Debra Saunders (San Francisco Chronicle)

Jackie Bueno Sousa (Miami Herald)

Andrew Sullivan (The Atlantic)

Lynn Sweet (Chicago Sun-Times)

Liz Taylor (Seattle Times)

Phil Taylor (Sports Illustrated)

Cal Thomas (Washington Times)

Mike Thomas (Orlando Sentinel)

George Will (Washington Post)

FareedZakaria (Newsweek)

A few websites (ask your parents for suggestions, too):

Blue Eagle Commentary:

The Drudge Report:

Real Clear Politics:

Websites for Journalists:

The New York Times Click on Editorials/Op-Ed. (You have to get a password.)

The Washington Post Click on Opinions to see a list of regular contributors.

The Boston Globe Click on Editorials/Op-Ed.

The Nation (note this is a left-wing publication)

Chicago Sun-Times Click on Commentary and use list of columnists.

Chicago Tribune Click on Columnists.

Miami Herald Click on Opinion; Columnists are on the right.

The San Francisco Chronicle Click on Columnists.

The Washington Times Click on Opinion/Editorial and scroll down to regular columnists.

The Wall Street Journal:

Name:

Journalist Column Response

Name of Journalist ______

Title of Column ______

Name of Newspaper ______Date column appeared ______

Thesis or main idea of column

Supporting reasons, examples, facts, details:

What is the tone of the article? How does the author convey this tone?

Defend, challenge, or qualify the writer’s thesis: