Analyzing Idea Development in an Essay
Read the excerpt from "How the Grimm Brothers Saved the Fairy Tale." Between 1812 and 1857, seven editions of their tales appeared, each one different from the last, until the final, best-known version barely resembled the first. Given that the first edition has recently been honored in bicentenary celebrations throughout the world, it is perhaps a good time to reexamine what we think we know about the original tales of the Brothers Grimm.
What is the author's purpose in writing this paragraph? to persuade the reader that the Grimm brothers were influential to entertain the reader with excerpts from the Grimms' tales to inform the reader that the text will take a second look at the Grimms' original tales to show the reader that the Grimms have received many honors
What steps best help a reader determine the central idea of a text? Select three options.
distinguishing between key details and minor details analyzing the organizational structure of the text analyzing extra commentary in each paragraph citing evidence from the text to support the conclusion restating the most important points in the text in one's own words
Read the excerpt from an essay about fairy tales. The Grimms' fairy tales address the experiences of people who are living in difficult situations. For example, there is the story of Rapunzel. There is also the story of Hansel and Gretel, who had to escape their house in order to find food and were locked out
Which revision would best help the author support the thesis more effectively? The author should explain why Hansel and Gretel were locked out. The author should explain how Rapunzel's story fits into the thesis. The author should add one more story as an example to support the thesis. The author should explain why Hansel and Gretel's situation is difficult.
When a text encourages the reader to believe or do something, the author's purpose is
to entertain. to inform. to persuade. to explain.
Which questions best demonstrate how to objectively evaluate an essay for interesting and unique presentation? Select two options
Do I agree with the ideas presented? Do I think the writing is interesting? Do I like the essay? Do I see that the writer tried to add style to the essay? Do I notice that the writer tries to engage readers?
Yael is writing an essay about the development of folk tales. Read the excerpt from her essay. Every culture throughout time has had its own folk tales, which were first transmitted from person to person with the technology available at the time. Folk tales began as an oral tradition. With the invention of written language, folk tales were recorded by community scribes, until 1450, when the printing press was invented. The result was a wider distribution of folk tales, which were collected in books.
Based on the beginning of Yael's essay, how does the structure support her central idea? Yael gives details in order of importance, which does not support her central idea by showing development. Yael gives details in order of importance, which supports her central idea by showing development. Yael gives details in chronological order, which does not support her central idea because it does not show development. Yael gives details in chronological order, which supports her central idea by showing development.
Read the excerpt from "How the Grimm Brothers Saved the Fairy Tale." The stories the Brothers Grimm first collected are brusque, blunt, absurd, comical, and tragic, and are not, strictly speaking, "fairy tales." In fact, the Grimms never intended the tales to be read by children. The tales are about children and families and how they reacted to the difficult conditions under which they lived. The Grimms thought the stories and their morals emanated naturally from the German people in an oral tradition, and they wanted to preserve them before the tales were lost forever. In gathering the tales, the Grimms made a unique contribution to folklore, and their Kinder- und Hausmärchen (Children and Household Tales) is even listed by UNESCO in its Memory of the World Registry. It was in large part their first edition, published in two volumes in 1812 and 1815, that inspired folklorists in Europe and Great Britain to gather tales from their oral traditions to preserve as part of their cultural heritage.
Which details best support the central idea of the excerpt? Select three options. The Grimms wanted to preserve German tales before the stories disappeared. The book is listed by UNESCO in its Memory of the World Registry. The stories and their morals come from the oral tradition of the German people. Folklorists gather tales from their oral traditions to preserve cultural heritage. The original stories told of the difficult lives of children and families.
Read the excerpt from "How the Grimm Brothers Saved the Fairy Tale." Though it is impossible to clarify fully why certain tales were deleted or placed in footnotes in later editions, we do know that "Death and the Goose Boy" was omitted because of its baroque literary features; "The Strange Feast," because of its close resemblance to "Godfather Death"; "The Stepmother," because of its fragmentary nature and cruelty; and "The Faithful Animals," because it came from the Siddhi-Kür, a collection of Mongolian tales. From the first edition in 1812/1815 to the final one in 1857, the Grimms received numerous versions of tales already in their collection and new tales from strangers, friends, and colleagues, and they often decided to replace one tale with another version, to delete some of the tales, or to include variants in their footnotes.
Which key details best support the main idea in this paragraph? Select three options. "...' Death and the Goose Boy' was omitted because of its baroque literary features;" "From the first edition in 1812/1815 to the final one in 1857..." "...'The Strange Feast' [was omitted] because of its close resemblance to 'Godfather Death;'" "' The Stepmother' [was omitted] because of its fragmentary nature and cruelty;" "...' The Faithful Animals' [was omitted] because it came from the Siddhi-Kür...."
Read the excerpt from an essay about folk tales. The majority of folk tales involve danger. Stories like "Little Red Riding Hood" are based on dangerous situations the characters have to get out of.
Which revision would best help the author present the main point more effectively? The majority of folk tales involve danger that the main character faces, which often involves family members. Stories like "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Snow White" are based on life-threatening family situations that the main characters have to escape. The majority of folk tales contain danger. Stories like "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Snow White" involve dangerous situations that the characters have to escape. The majority of folk tales involve danger faced by the main character. Stories like "Little Red Riding Hood" involve dangerous situations that the characters have to get out of. The majority of folk tales contain danger. Stories like "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Snow White" are based on life-threatening situations that the characters have to get out of.
Read the excerpt from "How the Grimm Brothers Saved the Fairy Tale." When Jacob (b. 1785) and Wilhelm (b. 1786) began collecting folk tales and songs at the beginning of the nineteenth century, they were precocious students at the University of Marburg, still in their teens. They grew up quite fast, plagued by money problems and caring for their siblings—their father died in 1796, leaving the once middle-class family in poverty. Their situation was further aggravated by the rampant Napoleonic Wars. Jacob interrupted his studies to serve the Hessian War Commission, although Wilhelm passed his law exams and found work as a low-paid librarian in the royal library. In 1807, Jacob lost his position with the War Commission, when the French occupied Kassel, but he was then hired as a librarian for the new King Jérome, Napoleon's brother, who now ruled Westphalia. Amidst all the upheavals, their mother died in 1808, and Jacob and Wilhelm became fully responsible for their three younger brothers and sister.
Which structure is used in this excerpt? order of importance chronological cause and effect problem and solution