Study Guide for the Thinking Life

Name ______

Hour ______

Study Guide for The Thinking Life

Due Date / Done?
Pre-reading Opinion Survey and Written Response
Vocabulary Assignment
Read Introduction and Chapter 1 (pgs. 1-17) + complete reading guide
Read Chapters 2 & 3 (pgs. 18-40) + complete reading guide
Read Chapters 4 & 5 (pgs. 41 – 60) + complete reading guide
Read Chapter 6 (pgs. 61-79) + complete reading guide
Read Chapters 7 & 8 (pgs. 81-105) + complete reading guide
Read Chapter 9 (pgs. 107-126) + complete reading guide
Read Chapters 10 – 11 (pgs. 127-148) + complete reading guide
Read Chapters 12 & Conclusion (pgs. 149-170) + complete reading guide

I will be checking reading guides at the start of the hour. You will receive a homework grade for each completed assignment. I will also be throwing some pop quizzes at you to make sure that you’re doing the reading. I will read parts of the book aloud and will give you about 15-20 minutes to read each day, so if you use your time wisely, you should have no problem keeping up. If you are absent, keep up with your reading. FEEL FREE TO READ AND WORK AHEAD!!! If you finish the book early, you can read a book of your own choosing during the class time that I set aside for independent reading.

Opinion Survey and Written Response

STATEMENT / Strongly Agree / Agree / Disagree / Strongly Disagree
I take time every day to just sit and think about my life and how I am living it.
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” - Socrates
“Our lives are frittered away by detail. Simplify. Simplify.” – Henry David Thoreau
Technology and media are preventing many people from thinking deeply.

To which statement did you react most strongly? Why do you either agree or disagree with this statement? Explain your reasoning using specific real-world examples (personal or from your own observations) to back up your points. Your response should be at least 120 words in length.

______WC=______

Key Conceptual Vocabulary for The Thinking Life

coalesce (v.)
to come together; to combine (elements) in a mass or whole

“When the idea of writing a book that would rediscover the merits of the thinking life was still coalescing in my mind, one day I jotted down a couple of paragraphs with what, in essence, was the rationale behind the project” (Forni, preface). / SYNONYMS
1.
2.
3. / YOUR IMAGE or VISUAL REPRESENTATION
______
______
______
Use the word correctly in a sentence.
PREFIX:co
co = together, with
WORDS WITH “co”
1.
2.
nuance (n.) a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound nuanced (adj.)

“We engage in successive and quick horizontal searches that fail to do justice to complexity and nuance” (Forni 5). / SYNONYMS
1.
2.
3. / YOUR IMAGE or VISUAL REPRESENTATION
______
______
______
Use the word correctly in a sentence.
SUFFIX: ance
ance= state or quality of
NOUNS ENDING IN “ance”
1.
2.
perfunctory (adj.) (of an action or gesture) carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection

“If you are preparing a presentation, do it attentively. Slay and bury the dragon of the perfunctory” (Forni33).
If you do something in a perfunctory manner, you do it without even thinking. If you study in a perfunctory way, you probably won’t remember anything. / SYNONYMS
1.
2.
3. / YOUR IMAGE or VISUAL REPRESENTATION
______
______
______
Use the word correctly in a sentence.
WORD ROOT: funct = perform, work
WORDS WITH “funct”
1.
2.
introspection (n.) the examination or observation of one's own mental and emotional processes – introspective (adj.)

“Part of introspection is asking difficult questions that may entail uncomfortable answers” (Forni 50). / SYNONYMS
1.
2.
3. / YOUR IMAGE or VISUAL REPRESENTATION
______
______
______
Use the word correctly in a sentence.
ROOT: spect
spect= to see, dealing with sight
WORDS with “spect”
1.
2.
hedonism (n.) the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence – hedonistic (adj.)

“As the followers of a new hedonism, we are on a quest for that all-encompassing, unalloyed good: personal fulfillment” (Forni 66). / SYNONYMS
1.
2.
3. / YOUR IMAGE or VISUAL REPRESENTATION
______
______
______
Use the word correctly in a sentence.
SUFFIX: ism
ism = a system, practice, or ideology
WORDS ENDING IN “ism”
1.
2.
arduous (adj.) involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring

“Whereas Hercules is able to choose the arduous but ultimately rewarding way of honor and duty, when Paris finds himself at the crucial moment of his life, he shows a different mettle, and his choice will have dire consequences” (Forni 107). / SYNONYMS
1.
2.
3. / YOUR IMAGE or VISUAL REPRESENTATION
______
______
______
Use the word correctly in a sentence.
SUFFIX: ous
ous= possessing or full of
WORDS ending in“ous”
1.
2.
penchant (n.) a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something

“It is our penchant for choosing the path of lesser resistant that makes us such good players at procrastination” (Forni 120). / SYNONYMS
1.
2.
3.
Penchant is a French word having to do with “leaning / inclining.”
If you are inclined to like something, you have a penchant for it. / YOUR IMAGE or VISUAL REPRESENTATION
______
______
______
Use the word correctly in a sentence.
narcissism (n.) - excessive or erotic interest in oneself and one's physical appearance -narcissistic (adj.), narcissist (n.)

“Vanity and narcissism are poor counselors as well” (Forni 159). / SYNONYMS
1.
2.
3.
The word narcissism comes from the Greek name “Narcissus.” Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection.
/ YOUR IMAGE or VISUAL REPRESENTATION
______
______
______
Use the word correctly in a sentence.

Reading Assignment: Introduction + Chapter 1 (pgs. 1-17)

DIRECTIONS: As you read, generate three questions that you can use to lead discussion tomorrow.

LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS / LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS / LEVEL 3 QUESTIONS
-Relates to text
-Uses concrete examples
-Open-ended
-Not a yes/no question / -Develops a theme
-Leads to abstract thought
-Leads to further questions / -Relates to self
-Relates to identity
EXAMPLES
What does the author mean when he says, “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile?”
When do masks “grin and lie?”
What would make the author say, “But let the world dream otherwise”? / EXAMPLES
Is there a time when we can see below the masks people wear?
What is the purpose of wearing a mask?
What is your response to people who wear masks? / EXAMPLES
What do you think was the wisdom that the author was trying to impart to you?
How has your thinking about the way you treat people who wear masks changed?
YOUR LEVEL ONE QUESTION:
Pg. # of statement that inspired this question: _____ / YOUR LEVEL TWO QUESTION: / YOUR LEVEL THREE QUESTION:

Look at the questions on pages 16-17 of the book. Construct a 100+ word response to either question 1, 2, or 4. I expect your answer to be written neatly with attention paid to capitalization, proper punctuation, and clarity. I don’t award points for garbage, so take your time and craft a coherent paragraph.

______WC=______

Reading Assignment: Chapters 2 & 3 (pgs. 18-40)

DIRECTIONS: As you read, generate three questions that you can use to lead discussion tomorrow.

LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS / LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS / LEVEL 3 QUESTIONS
-Relates to text
-Uses concrete examples
-Open-ended
-Not a yes/no question / -Develops a theme
-Leads to abstract thought
-Leads to further questions / -Relates to self
-Relates to identity
EXAMPLES
What does the author mean when he says, “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile?”
When do masks “grin and lie?”
What would make the author say, “But let the world dream otherwise”? / EXAMPLES
Is there a time when we can see below the masks people wear?
What is the purpose of wearing a mask?
What is your response to people who wear masks? / EXAMPLES
What do you think was the wisdom that the author was trying to impart to you?
How has your thinking about the way you treat people who wear masks changed?
YOUR LEVEL ONE QUESTION:
Pg. # of statement that inspired this question: _____ / YOUR LEVEL TWO QUESTION: / YOUR LEVEL THREE QUESTION:

When it comes to paying attention to the world around you, in what ways are you coming up short because you’re too focused on yourself? Construct a 100+ word response to this question. I expect your answer to be written neatly with attention paid to capitalization, proper punctuation, and clarity. I don’t award points for garbage, so take your time and craft a coherent paragraph.

______WC=______

Reading Assignment: Chapters 4 & 5 (pgs. 41-60)

DIRECTIONS: As you read, generate three questions that you can use to lead discussion tomorrow.

LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS / LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS / LEVEL 3 QUESTIONS
-Relates to text
-Uses concrete examples
-Open-ended
-Not a yes/no question / -Develops a theme
-Leads to abstract thought
-Leads to further questions / -Relates to self
-Relates to identity
EXAMPLES
What does the author mean when he says, “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile?”
When do masks “grin and lie?”
What would make the author say, “But let the world dream otherwise”? / EXAMPLES
Is there a time when we can see below the masks people wear?
What is the purpose of wearing a mask?
What is your response to people who wear masks? / EXAMPLES
What do you think was the wisdom that the author was trying to impart to you?
How has your thinking about the way you treat people who wear masks changed?
YOUR LEVEL ONE QUESTION:
Pg. # of statement that inspired this question: _____ / YOUR LEVEL TWO QUESTION: / YOUR LEVEL THREE QUESTION:

Look at the questions on pages 47 of the book. Construct a 100+ word response to any one of the six questions. I expect your answer to be written neatly with attention paid to capitalization, proper punctuation, and clarity. I don’t award points for garbage, so take your time and craft a coherent paragraph.

______WC=______

Reading Assignment: Chapter 6 (pgs. 61-79)

DIRECTIONS: As you read, generate three questions that you can use to lead discussion tomorrow.

LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS / LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS / LEVEL 3 QUESTIONS
-Relates to text
-Uses concrete examples
-Open-ended
-Not a yes/no question / -Develops a theme
-Leads to abstract thought
-Leads to further questions / -Relates to self
-Relates to identity
EXAMPLES
What does the author mean when he says, “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile?”
When do masks “grin and lie?”
What would make the author say, “But let the world dream otherwise”? / EXAMPLES
Is there a time when we can see below the masks people wear?
What is the purpose of wearing a mask?
What is your response to people who wear masks? / EXAMPLES
What do you think was the wisdom that the author was trying to impart to you?
How has your thinking about the way you treat people who wear masks changed?
YOUR LEVEL ONE QUESTION:
Pg. # of statement that inspired this question: _____ / YOUR LEVEL TWO QUESTION: / YOUR LEVEL THREE QUESTION:

Look at the questions on page 79 of the book. Construct a 100+ word response to either question 1 or 2. I expect your answer to be written neatly with attention paid to capitalization, proper punctuation, and clarity. I don’t award points for garbage, so take your time and craft a coherent paragraph.

______WC=______

Reading Assignment: Chapters 7 & 8 (pgs. 81-105)

DIRECTIONS: As you read, generate three questions that you can use to lead discussion tomorrow.

LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS / LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS / LEVEL 3 QUESTIONS
-Relates to text
-Uses concrete examples
-Open-ended
-Not a yes/no question / -Develops a theme
-Leads to abstract thought
-Leads to further questions / -Relates to self
-Relates to identity
EXAMPLES
What does the author mean when he says, “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile?”
When do masks “grin and lie?”
What would make the author say, “But let the world dream otherwise”? / EXAMPLES
Is there a time when we can see below the masks people wear?
What is the purpose of wearing a mask?
What is your response to people who wear masks? / EXAMPLES
What do you think was the wisdom that the author was trying to impart to you?
How has your thinking about the way you treat people who wear masks changed?
YOUR LEVEL ONE QUESTION:
Pg. # of statement that inspired this question: _____ / YOUR LEVEL TWO QUESTION: / YOUR LEVEL THREE QUESTION:

Look at the questions on pages 104-105 of the book. Construct a 100+ word response to ONE of the four questions. I expect your answer to be written neatly with attention paid to capitalization, proper punctuation, and clarity. I don’t award points for garbage, so take your time and craft a coherent paragraph.

______WC=______

Reading Assignment: Chapter 9 (pgs. 107-126)

DIRECTIONS: As you read, generate three questions that you can use to lead discussion tomorrow.

LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS / LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS / LEVEL 3 QUESTIONS
-Relates to text
-Uses concrete examples
-Open-ended
-Not a yes/no question / -Develops a theme
-Leads to abstract thought
-Leads to further questions / -Relates to self
-Relates to identity
EXAMPLES
What does the author mean when he says, “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile?”
When do masks “grin and lie?”
What would make the author say, “But let the world dream otherwise”? / EXAMPLES
Is there a time when we can see below the masks people wear?
What is the purpose of wearing a mask?
What is your response to people who wear masks? / EXAMPLES
What do you think was the wisdom that the author was trying to impart to you?
How has your thinking about the way you treat people who wear masks changed?
YOUR LEVEL ONE QUESTION:
Pg. # of statement that inspired this question: _____ / YOUR LEVEL TWO QUESTION: / YOUR LEVEL THREE QUESTION:

Look at the questions on page 126 of the book. Construct a 100+ word response to either question 1 or 2. I expect your answer to be written neatly with attention paid to capitalization, proper punctuation, and clarity. I don’t award points for garbage, so take your time and craft a coherent paragraph.

______WC=______

Reading Assignment: Chapters 10 & 11 (pgs. 127-148)

DIRECTIONS: As you read, generate three questions that you can use to lead discussion tomorrow.

LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS / LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS / LEVEL 3 QUESTIONS
-Relates to text
-Uses concrete examples
-Open-ended
-Not a yes/no question / -Develops a theme
-Leads to abstract thought
-Leads to further questions / -Relates to self
-Relates to identity
EXAMPLES
What does the author mean when he says, “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile?”
When do masks “grin and lie?”
What would make the author say, “But let the world dream otherwise”? / EXAMPLES
Is there a time when we can see below the masks people wear?
What is the purpose of wearing a mask?
What is your response to people who wear masks? / EXAMPLES
What do you think was the wisdom that the author was trying to impart to you?
How has your thinking about the way you treat people who wear masks changed?
YOUR LEVEL ONE QUESTION:
Pg. # of statement that inspired this question: _____ / YOUR LEVEL TWO QUESTION: / YOUR LEVEL THREE QUESTION:

Look at the questions on pages 147-148 of the book. Construct a 100+ word response to either question 1, 2, or 3. I expect your answer to be written neatly with attention paid to capitalization, proper punctuation, and clarity. I don’t award points for garbage, so take your time and craft a coherent paragraph.

______WC=______

Reading Assignment: Chapter 12 & Conclusion (pgs. 149-170)

DIRECTIONS: As you read, generate three questions that you can use to lead discussion tomorrow.

LEVEL ONE QUESTIONS / LEVEL TWO QUESTIONS / LEVEL 3 QUESTIONS
-Relates to text
-Uses concrete examples
-Open-ended
-Not a yes/no question / -Develops a theme
-Leads to abstract thought
-Leads to further questions / -Relates to self
-Relates to identity
EXAMPLES
What does the author mean when he says, “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile?”
When do masks “grin and lie?”
What would make the author say, “But let the world dream otherwise”? / EXAMPLES
Is there a time when we can see below the masks people wear?
What is the purpose of wearing a mask?
What is your response to people who wear masks? / EXAMPLES
What do you think was the wisdom that the author was trying to impart to you?
How has your thinking about the way you treat people who wear masks changed?
YOUR LEVEL ONE QUESTION:
Pg. # of statement that inspired this question: _____ / YOUR LEVEL TWO QUESTION: / YOUR LEVEL THREE QUESTION:

Look at the questions on page 165 of the book. Construct a 100+ word response to ONE of the six questions. I expect your answer to be written neatly with attention paid to capitalization, proper punctuation, and clarity. I don’t award points for garbage, so take your time and craft a coherent paragraph.

______WC=______

End of Book Test

DIRECTIONS: Make sure you understand what P.M. Forni has to say about the following concepts:

true “leisure time” / introspection / attention / reflection
self-control / positive thinking / proactivity / wise-decision making procedures
insight / discovery / creativity / managing adversity

Review the vocabulary words from the start of the unit. Make sure you can define each word and use it correctly in the context of a sentence.

coalesce

nuance

perfunctory

introspection

hedonism

arduous

penchant

narcissism