AP English 11 Summer Reading Assignment, 2009

AP English 11 Summer Reading Assignment, 2011 (FLEMING)Michelle.fleming@stratford.orgWorks: The Book Thief, by Markus ZusakSlam Dunks and No‐Brainers,by Leslie SavanOverview:The thing I love most about AP English 11 is its focus on word play, the close examination of whatauthors do and the effect those choices have on me, the reader. I will assume (and you should notdissuade me from this belief) that you, too, love language – the rhythm of it, the music in it, the creativepossibilities with it. You’ve made the commitment to this AP class because you are fascinated with theway words work together (and if I am wrong, please never let me find out).The purpose of both assignments is to begin to get you looking at more than just plot / information.The focus in this class is the way a piece is written, both published authors and your own. These firstassignments are designed to help you start becoming aware of an author’s “voice” – we have one everytime we put words on paper, whether we plan it or not. In this class, then, we will develop yourindividual voice, and I look forward to hearing yours, both in this summer work and in the coming year.Specific Assignments:I. The Book Thief: In the “Reader’s Guide” found in the back of the book, Zusak gives an interview aboutthe novel. In his first answer, on page nine, he says, “I wrote about the importance of words in NaziGermany. I thought of Hitler destroying people with words, and now I had a girl who was stealing themback, as she read books with the young Jewish man in her basement and calmed people down in thebomb shelters. She writes her own story – and it’s a beautiful story – through the ugliness of the worldthat surrounds her.” He says later in the interview, on page 11, that he liked “the idea that every page inevery book can have a gem on it.” So that’s what this novel is about – the power of words. More thananything else, watch for and mark passages that you love STYLISTICALLY. Focus on the way Zusak writesand the literary / rhetorical choices he makes.A. Marking / Quote Log:PART ONE: In the cover of your book, write down 10‐15 page numbers with beginning and endingwords on which you found Zusak’s writing particularly interesting (beautiful, creative, fascinating,descriptive, insert your favorite adjective here). Your entries will look like this: p. 99: “Above her…Acheek. A calf muscle.” Remember, just writing down a list of page numbers and a few words is sufficientfor this part.B. Essay Test:On the first full day of classes, you’ll have an essay question test. The question will be one of thoselocated in the back of the book – the Questions for Discussion which begin on pg. 3 of the Reader’sGuide. Feel free to make notes in your book that would help you answer those questions. You may useyour book on the test, and any notes written in it are fair game to help you.PART TWO: Next, choose your favorite three quotes to write out fully (these will be turned in). Then, ina few sentences, explain what you notice about the diction (word choice), syntax (sentence structure),or figurative language AND what made you choose these as your favorites. Be specific.

II. Slam Dunks and No‐Brainers: As one critic notes, Savan’s “target here is the ‘verbal kudzu’ of ‘pop’language: catchphrases and buzz words spread by the media that are…replacing thought withpreprogrammed verbal responses.” Your goal in reading this book is twofold: 1) recognize this type oflanguage all around you, and 2) recognize how often YOU use it yourself. Think primarily about thequestion Savan poses: Is such language a problem? Are we being dumbed down because of our use /reliance / addiction to it? Has it “infected” our thinking and caused damage?PART ONE: Everyone is required to READ AND MARK chapters one, two, four, and the Epilogue (NOT theIntroduction). I will be checking FOR A GRADE to see that you have done more than just underlined and/ or highlighted. You will need to make your own notes in the margins – words, questions, symbols, acombination of all three that indicate you’ve thought through the material as you’ve read.PART TWO: Everyone will be assigned an additional chapter to read, mark, and write about (see the listbelow). When we return to school, you will be in charge of presenting the information in your additionalchapter to the class. For your specific chapter, you need to write out fully (to be turned in) the six mostimportant quotes (MLA cited) and six summary notes of her most important points (a sentence or two orthree per bullet point). Think about how the information in your chapter ties in to her main points / therest of her argument.CHAPTERS:3 and 5 (you only have to do 6 quotes / 6 notes total, three per chapter): C. Avant, S. Avant, Barron,Barton, Bevill, Daws, Dennis, Dodgen6: Ford, Fuller, Garret, Gaton, Gautier, Griffin, Gupta, B. Hicks7: Hale, H. Hicks, Hinson, Hipp, A. Jones, H. Jones, Khurana, Lind8: McKemie, Nelson, Raines, Reynolds, Rouse, Slappey, Smith, Traynham, WatkinsIMPORTANT NOTES:• THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT ASSIGNMENT. This means that you may not work with anotherstudent on this assignment. The work must be entirely your own.• CONSULTING AN OUTSIDE SOURCE SUCH AS SPARKNOTES OR CLIFF’S NOTES IS ANHONOR CODE VIOLATION. If we suspect you have used Sparknotes or any other such outside source, wewill consider it a disciplinary issue and will turn your work over for investigation.• YOUR GRADES ON YOUR SUMMER READING WORK ARE VERY IMPORTANT. They willhave a BIG impact on your average for the first quarter. Since there typically aren’t many grades earnedduring the first quarter, each counts more heavily. Earning a zero or an F on this work will have seriousand lingering consequences. Note that average work will earn you an average grade. Putting in minimaleffort will earn you no higher than a C. Although you will not earn a high grade based on effort alone (It’sabout overall QUALITY), If you wish to earn a higher grade, your work should be insightful andthoughtfully written, which will require additional effort. Take this work seriously and do your best.• You will have an essay test on Book Thief on the first full day of classes next year.All summer work is due on that first full day.