Summer Assignment
(For students entering Advanced Placement English 11)
McNamara/Een
We are happy you have chosen to take this challenging class for the upcoming school year. These two assignments will prepare you for activities occurring in the first few weeks of school and will keep your minds sharp during the summer. These assignments will be collected and will count towards your first semester grade.
1. Editorials - In The March of Folly, Barbara Tuchman writes: Wooden-headedness, the source of self-deception, is a factor that plays a remarkably large role in history. It consists of assessing a situation in terms of preconceived fixed notions while ignoring or rejecting any contrary signs. It is acting according to wish while not allowing oneself to be deflected by the facts.
Here's how you will explore this idea.
· Find one editorial from an established mainstream newspaper or magazine that seems to support what Barbara Tuchman is writing about. It should seem to be presenting a position or opinion that is contrary to what you believe to be true.
· Cut the article out and staple it to an essay you write that explains how the article supports Tuchman's views. You are looking for published opinions that seem to contradict facts or even common sense.
· The essay should be typed, double-spaced, and only one page long.
2. Reading - Read two books total.
· Both books must be from one of the two lists that are linked on the AP 11 website. List A is non-fiction. List B is primarily fiction.
· One book must be fiction.
· One book must be non-fiction.
· Be prepared to discuss the books during the first two weeks of class. Points will be awarded based on your discussion, and the books will be used as a basis for the beginning of a discussion of "The American Dream".