IB English 12/IB TOK II
2014 Summer Assignments
Mr. Pasko and Mrs. Regen
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Welcome SENIORS! We look forward to getting to know you as you begin your final stretch towards graduation and new horizons. In order to prepare for English and for TOK, you need to do TWO things this summer.
1. DRAFT A COLLEGE ESSAY
For this assignment, you are to choose 1 of the 500-word essays required in the application of one of the colleges you’re interested in. You must bring a completed draft of this essay to class on the very first day, ready to hand in. Here are some stipulations:
· The draft must be typed, double-spaced, and must be within 50 words of the word-count.
· You must include at the top of the page, the question or prompt, exactly as it is worded in the application AND the college/university for which it is required.
· Use the standard heading which we’ll continue to use all year. In the upper right hand corner, type name, date turned in, then class period. Ex:
Summer Whethers
August 26, 2014
B-4th Period
· Your draft should be thoughtful and well-crafted.
2. READ A MEMOIR
For this assignment, you are to choose one of the following memoirs to read. Our first few days of English class will be spent discussing language, voice, and style—elements that you as sophisticated writers should be aware of in your own work. As you read, first, mark 5 (five) passages that you find particularly eloquent, surprising, unusual, poetic, or stylistic—ones that are memorable, either because of the ideas they present or the way the writer presents them.
Next, consider the following, especially for TOK: Tobias Wolff, author of the grim memoir This Boy’s Life, wrote, “Memory has its own story to tell. Memoirists are not writing proper history but rather what they remember of it, or, more accurately, what they can’t forget.” In view of this quote, and making generous use of specifics from the text, respond in 500 - 750 words to any or all of the following questions: To what extent, if any, is memoir credible? What authority does it have? In what way does your memoir reveal what it means to be human? Does your memoir reveal the truth? Should it? Be sure to cite references correctly with page numbers in parenthesis. Add the bibliographic citation at the end.
You must bring a copy of the book to class on the first day with your excerpts marked, and with the typed response in hand. Choose one of the following—there’s something here for everyone! Choose with care and go online or browse the bookstore/library to help you decide.
Paula Isabel Allende
Growing Up Russell Baker
All Over But the Shoutin’ Rick Bragg
Angela’s Ashes Frank McCourt
When I Was Puerto Rican Esmeralda Santiago
The Glass Castle Jeanette Wall
Black Boy Richard Wright
Memoirs Pablo Neruda
The Color of Water James McBride
The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath
This Boy’s Life Tobias Wolff
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius Dave Eggers
The Bookseller of Kabul Asne Seierstad
Running With Scissors Augusten Burroughs
The Year of Magical Thinking Joan Didion
A Walk in the Woods Bill Bryson
It Happened on the Way to the War Rye Barcott
Traveling Mercies Anne Lamott
My First Coup D’Etat John Dramani Mahama
I Am Malala Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou