Questions and Vocabulary on the Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell

Questions and Vocabulary on The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell

I.  Define these terms in the vocabulary section of your composition book. Leave the example part blank for now. You’ll be getting the examples from “The Wordy Shipmates.”

22.  hyperbole, 23. allusion, 24. connotation, 25. denotation, 26. tone, 27. diction, 28. analogy, 29. situational irony, 30. verbal irony, 31. simile, 32. metaphor

II.  Write your answers as a new writing prompt. Your answers should be direct quotes from the text. Wait to write the examples in the vocabulary section until we’ve discussed them as a class.

1. Find an example of hyperbole on page 1-2.

2. Find a historical allusion on page 1-2.

3. Find a few words on page 2 or 3 that are good examples of Vowell’s funny, not-so-academic diction. (Well talk about connotation, denotation and tone when we discuss the words you chose.)

4. Find an example of an analogy 2.

5. Find an example of situational irony on page 7-8.

6. Find an example of verbal irony on page 20.

7. Find an example of a simile on page 10.

8. Find an example of a metaphor on page 11.

III.  Questions (continue writing answers as the same writing prompt)

9. How were the Puritans like the Transcendentalists in terms of their view of authority? Look on page 6.

10. Why does Vowell call the people of Boston “communitarian English majors” (13)?

11. What does Vowell mean by “American exceptionalism”? The phrase is mentioned on page 6, but the idea is discussed throughout the reading. Use the text to answer this question, not Wikipedia or another on-line source. Be sure to include Winthrop’s “city upon a hill” idea. How has American exceptionalism influenced foreign policy more recently? (Find the part about Iraq on page 25 and 26.)

12. Explain the analogies that Vowell makes on page 5. (She compares the differences between the Arabella Puritans o the Mayflower Puritans to the differences between…?)

13. What connections can you make between “The Wordy Shipmates” and the readings you’ve done so far in this class? The longer your list, the better! J