CBEST English Writing/ Reading For Ben

Understanding the essay prompt

*Classify*: Organize the subject into groups and explain why the grouping makes sense. *Compare*: Point out the similarities. *Contrast*: Point out the differences. *Define*: Give the meaning of the subject. (What is) *Describe*: Show readers what the subject is like; give an account of the subject. *Discuss*: Point out the main issues or characteristics of the subject and elaborate. *Analyze*: Divide the issues into its main parts and discuss each. Consider how these parts interact and how they work as a whole. *Explain*: *Make your position, issue, process clear* by analyzing, defining, comparing and contrasting or illustrating. (*What cause; How are/does; Why*) *Argue*: *Express your opinion about the subject*, and support it with evidence, examples, and details. (*Do you agree*) *Assess/Evaluate*: *Make a judgment about the effectiveness and success of the subject*. What are the pros and cons? Why? Describe your criteria for your judgment. (How are/dose) *Indicate*: *Explain what you think the subject means* and how you come to that interpretation. *Identify*: Name and describe. (*What cause*) *Summarize*: Describe the main ideas or points Illustrate: Provide examples of the subject. (*In what way*)

Essay prompt exercise

1) Adriene Rich wrote: "Lying is done with words and also with silence." Do you agree? 2) In his essay, "Urban Strategy," William Rhoden describes a time that he put himself at risk to do what he thought is right. Describe a time when you put yourself at risk (physically, socially, emotionally, and/or academically) to do what you thought was right. Was it worth the risk? Why or Why not? 3) Should public school students be required to wear uniforms? Supporters argue that, among other things, uniforms would improve discipline and build a strong sense of community and identity. On the other hand, opponents believe that uniforms limit students freedom of expression and their development as individuals. Write an essay in which you take a position on whether or not public school students should be required to wear uniforms to school. Be sure to support your position with logical arguments and specific examples. 3) Bob Maynard has said that "Problems are opportunities in disguise." Write an essay describing a time in your life with a problem became an opportunity. How did you transform the situation? Explain what you did to turn the problem into an opportunity and how others can benefit from your experience.

Main idea or implied main idea

A main idea is defined as an assertion about the subject that controls or holds together all the ideas in the passage. Depends on the author, there might or might not be topic sentence in the passage.

Descriptive writing

Descriptive writing's main purpose is to describe. It is a style of writing that focuses on describing a character, an event, or a place in great detail. It can be poetic when the author takes the time to be very specific in his or her descriptions. Example: In good descriptive writing, the author will not just say: "The vampire killed his lover." He or she will change the sentence, focusing on more details and descriptions, like: "The bloody, red-eyed vampire, sunk his rust-colored teeth into the soft skin of his lover and ended her life." Key Points: It is often poetic in nature It describes places, people, events, situations, or locations in a highly-detailed manner. The author visualizes what he or she sees, hears, tastes, smells, and feels. When You Would Use Descriptive Writing: Poetry Journal or diary writing Nature writing Descriptive passages in fiction Example: The iPhone 6 is unexpectedly light. While size of its screen is bigger than those of the iPhones that came before, it is thinner, and its smooth, rounded body is made of aluminum, stainless steel, and glass. The casing comes in a whitish silver, gold, or a color the company calls "space gray," the color of the lead of a pencil, with darker gray accents. This is an example because it describes aspects of the phone. It includes details such as the size, weight, and material. Non-example: So you just brought home a shiny new smartphone with a smooth glass screen the size of your palm. The first thing you will want to do when purchasing a new cell is buy a case. Cracking your screen is an awful feeling, and protection is inexpensive when you compare it to the costs of a new phone. Even though this example uses adjectives, you can tell that this is not an example of descriptive writing because the purpose is not to describe the phone—it's to persuade you to buy a case.

Expository writing

Expository writing's main purpose is to explain. It is a subject-oriented writing style, in which authors focus on telling you about a given topic or subject without voicing their personal opinions. These types of essays or articles furnish you with relevant facts and figures but do not include their opinions. This is one of the most common types of writing. You always see it in textbooks and how-to articles. The author just tells you about a given subject, such as how to do something. Key Points: Usually explains something in a process. Is often equipped with facts and figures. Is usually in a logical order and sequence. When You Would Use Expository Writing: Textbook writing. How-to articles. Recipes. News stories (not including opinion or editorial pieces). Business, technical, or scientific writing. Example: Many people associate the taste of pumpkins with fall. In October, companies from Starbucks to McDonalds roll out their pumpkin-flavored lattes and desserts. Here is how to make an easy pumpkin pie using only five ingredients. First, make sure you have all of the ingredients. This writing is expository because it is explaining. In this case, you can already tell that the piece will be about how to make a pumpkin pie. Non-example: Everyone knows that the best part about fall is all of the pumpkin-flavored desserts. Pumpkin pie is the best fall treat because it is not only delicious but also nutritious. Pumpkin is filled with vitamin A, which is essential for a healthy immune system and good vision. This is not expository because several opinions are stated, such as "Pumpkin pie is the best fall treat..." Although this excerpt contains a fact about pumpkin containing vitamin A, that fact is used as evidence to support the opinion. These opinions make this an example of persuasive writing.

How to tell Facts versus opinion?

Facts is known. It is proven. Opinion can be debated. http://aeo.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/Files/CriticalThinking/fact%20or%20opinion.pdf

Organization Structure: when to organize the order from most to least important or visversa

If it is an argument essay, organize from least to most important. This way, the author does not have to show his hand so soon. If it is an informative essay, organize from most to least important. Transition words, phrases: First and foremost In addition Also Most Importantly

second person point of view

It addresses the reader as "you". Commonly used in instruction passage. Or, when the writer wants to be convincing by putting: You the reader into the action of the paragraph You make the readers pay more attention You make the readers imagine themselves in that situation The readers, in turn, feels less formal, the writer speaker personally to the reader, address the reader as individual.

What is organization structure? What are they?

It is like an architect arrange rooms in the floor plan. Organization structure includes: Chronological order Order of importance Compare and contrast Cause and effect.

Make Observation: Diction 辭

Make observation means: - identify the point of view - work choices (diction). Pay attention to the connotation, i.e. the implied meaning that developed an emotion, or social register, or suggestion of degree. - attend to those words and phrases are arranged in the sentences and paragraph - repeated words and patterns - important details about people and places

Narrative writing

Narrative writing's main purpose is to tell a story. The author will create different characters and tell you what happens to them (sometimes the author writes from the point of view of one of the characters—this is known as first person narration). Novels, short stories, novellas, poetry, and biographies can all fall in the narrative writing style. Simply, narrative writing answers the question: "What happened then?" Key Points: A person tells a story or event. Has characters and dialogue. Has definite and logical beginnings, intervals, and endings. Often has situations like actions, motivational events, and disputes or conflicts with their eventual solutions. Examples of When You Would Use Persuasive Writing: Novels Short stories Novellas Poetry Autobiographies or biographies Anecdotes Oral histories Example: "I don't think that's a good idea," said Jaelyn. "You never used to be such a girl!" retorted Orin, pushing open the door. Reluctantly, Jaelyn followed. This is a narrative because it's telling a story. There are different characters conversing, and a plot is unravelling. Non-example: Cutting Edge Haunted House holds the Guinness World Record for the largest haunted house on earth. It's located in a district in Fort Worth, Texas known as "Hell's Half Acre" in a century-old abandoned meat-packing plant. The haunted house takes an hour to complete, winding through horrific scenes incorporating the factory's original meat-packing equipment. While this would serve as a worthy setting for a story, it would need a plot before it could be called a narrative. Conclusion These are the four different types of writing that are generally used. There are many sub-types of writing that may fall in any of those categories. A writer must know all these styles in order to identify the purpose of his or her own writing and make sure it's something the audience wants to read.

How to create thesis statement

Options: 1) My goal in this essay is to <use the verb in the essay prompt> the <subject in the essay prompt> 2) The issue of <...> is a controversial one. Some believe that <...>. Others believe that <...>. After careful though, I feel that <...>

Finding meaning in Literature

Pay attention to the title, it tells about the subject and the main idea. pay attention to: - alliteration (rhyme or the repetitive use of a syllable) - personification, when an animal is given a human characteristic or when a thing is giving animated characteristic. - simile, a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g., as brave as a lion, crazy like a fox ). - irony, the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect. Here is an example of situational irony: An ambulance driver speeds to the scene of a bicycle accident. As he whips around a corner, he runs over the victim's legs, not realizing she'd crawled to the center of the road with her bike. Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-irony.html#DJ3aYzSgcRFhMKhB.99

Persuasive

Persuasive writing's main purpose is to convince. Unlike expository writing, persuasive writing contains the opinions and biases of the author. To convince others to agree with the author's point of view, persuasive writing contains justifications and reasons. It is often used in letters of complaint, advertisements or commercials, affiliate marketing pitches, cover letters, and newspaper opinion and editorial pieces. Key Points: Persuasive writing is equipped with reasons, arguments, and justifications. In persuasive writing, the author takes a stand and asks you to agree with his or her point of view. It often asks for readers to do something about the situation (this is called a call-to-action). When You Would Use Persuasive Writing: Opinion and editorial newspaper pieces. Advertisements. Reviews (of books, music, movie, restaurants, etc.). Letter of recommendation. Letter of complaint. Cover letters Example: Following the 2012 Olympic Games hosted in London, the UK Trade and Investment department reported a £9.9 billion boost to the economy. Although it is expensive to host the Olympics, if done right, they can provide real jobs and economic growth. This city should consider placing a bid to host the Olympics. This is persuasive writing because the author has a belief—that "this city should consider placing a bid to host the Olympics"—and is trying to convince others to agree. Non-example: According to legend, the Olympics were founded by Hercules. Now almost 100 countries participate in the Games, with over two million people attending. So cities from Boston to Hamburg begin considering their bid to be a host city more than 10 years in advance. All of these statements are facts. Therefore it's expository. To be persuasive writing, you must have an opinion that you're trying to persuade people of—then, of course, you will support that opinion with evidence.

What is style? And why it is important?

Style in writing generally referred to: - Sentence structure (simple or complex) - Degree of detail and description - Degree of formality Style tells us the relationship between the writer and the readers. It can distance us with its objectivity or draw us in with its description and detail. For business writing, the style is simple, no unnecessary details, and formal.

writing in logical versus emotional appeals

There are two means of persuasion: logic v.s. emotional logical: according to reason, logic, and common sense emotional: relating to emotions, arousing or exhibiting strong emotion

first person point of view

Told from the viewpoint of one of the characters using the pronouns "I" and We", "me and us", "mine and ours". Depending on the context, it creates intimacy with the reader. In other context, it can be subjective, formal or impersonal. E.g. Of intimacy: We congratulate the birth of your child. E.g. Of formal: the company congratulates the birth of your child. E.g. Of subjective: I think the me office policy is a failure.

Identifying tone

Tone is the mood or attitude conveyed by the author. Tone is created by combination of view, diction, and style. You need to look at the context surrounding that word to find clues about the proper tone to use. Style of the writing also determines the tone. E.g. of tone: wistful (regretful longing), cheerful, complimentary, hopeful, gloomy, apologetic, critical, insecure, threatening, critical - finding fault judgmental-authoritative and often having critical opinions see more: http://www.mshogue.com/AP/tone.htm

Organization Structure: Comparison and Contrast

Why? The author wants to make a point in the writing by putting two things together for analysis. This reason or point is the main idea of the passage. Style of writing: To illuminate new ways of seeing things. In addition, it shows how the two things measure up against each other. Two ways of arrangement: Point by point Block method of comparison Transition words and phrase: For similarity: Similarly, Likewise, like, just as, in the same way, in a like manner, and, also. For differences: but, on the other hand, however, conversely, yet, on the contrary, nevertheless

Literary terms

https://quizlet.com/4972201/literary-terms-flash-cards/

Breaking down the essay assignment

sample prompt: Describe the change in citizen's attitudes toward the federal government in the last decade. Explain what you believe to be the causes of this change. Finally, assess the impact of this attitude on the power of the government. Subject 1: the change in citizen's attitudes toward the federal government in the last decade. Direction 1: Describe Subject 2: the causes of this change. Direction 2: Explain my believe Subject 3:the impact of this attitude on the power of the government Direction 3: Assess

Third person point of view

someone on the outside is looking in and telling the story as he/she see it unfold. Use the word "they" or "she" or noun. E.g. Students in our financial planning class will need these items. Writing in this point of view is formal, and distance.