1a. When the boy tried to apologize, how did the old man respond?
2a. What are some things you can do for a friend who has experienced the death of a loved one?
3a. Name three ways to make a letter interesting.
4a. According to Ms. Demeanor, how should a person respond to an invitation?
1b. What are some of the advantages of writing an apology instead of verbalizing an apology?
2b. Why does Ms. Demeanor say that a "condolence letter is a must"?
3b. How do these things liven up a letter?
4b. Why is it important to respond this way?
5a. List the different suggestions and tips Ms. Demeanor offers to letter writers. Which seem most important?
5b. Altogether, what do these tips and suggestions mean? How might you summarize Ms. Demeanor's ideas about letter writing?
6a. How is the language used by Ms. Demeanor different from that of most adults? Why do you think she writes this way?
6b. Compare Ms. Demeanor's advice with advice you have gotten from a parent or another adult. How is it similar? How is it different?
Active Verbs. Identify five places in which Ms. Demeanor uses active verbs instead of inactive verbs.
Tone and Register. For the following forms of writing, write an F if it requires the use of formal language, or an I if informal language is acceptable.
1. Personal narrative
2. Book review for the New York Times
3. Thank-you note to a neighbor
4. A letter of condolence to a friend
5. A paper on nuclear war
6. Step-by-step procedures to a chemistry experiment
7. Résumé
8. Obituary for the newspaper
9. Journal entry in a diary
10. Testament in a will
1. Imagine you damaged a neighbor's property and want to apologize. Write a letter of apology indicating how you plan to make amends.
2. Write a letter to the editor about one of the advice columnists in your local newspaper. Do you agree or disagree with the advice he or she gave concerning a specific question? Should he or she continue to give advice? Why, or why not?
3. Write a semi-formal invitation to a party. Include the purpose, date, and time.
Closings to Letters. Ms. Demeanor says that Sincerely is the all-purpose closing for just about any kind of letter. Brainstorm a list of other closings you could use.
Active and Passive Voice. Active verbs express meaning more emphatically and vigorously than passive verbs, such as forms of the verb be (be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been). Active verbs make the point more forcefully and clearly. Review the Language Arts Survey 3.35, "Making Passive Sentences Active." The following sentences are all written in the passive voice. In the space provided, rewrite each sentence so that it is in the active voice by replacing inactive verbs with active verbs. You may also need to rearrange the words in the sentence.
Example The package was left on the porch. The mail carrier left the package on the porch.
1. The fly ball was caught by Hernando.
2. The campfire was put out by the ranger.
3. The operation is managed by Dr. Ahmed.
4. The game was won by our team.
5. Julia was failed by her driving instructor.
6. All around us were exploding fireworks.
7. The tree was struck by lightning.
8. I am greeted by my dog.
9. I was being attacked by the stray cat.
10. Jorge was surprised by the alarm.
Analyzing Advice Columns: Many advice columns deal with issues related to growing up, family, relationships, etiquette, and social problems. Not only does the advice offered reflect the values of the person giving the advice, but it also reflects the cultural values of a society. At your local library or on the Internet, find advice columns published in countries other than the United States. Foreign newspapers, magazines, and Internet sites publish advice columns similar to the popular ones in the United States. Ask Zesi (Kenya), Agony Aunt (Britain), and Hassling Heather (Australia) are some popular advice columnists. Read some of the questions you find in foreign publications, and respond from your point of view, keeping in mind your own cultural values. Then read the answers given by the foreign advice columnists. How do your responses differ from theirs? How do the differences in responses reflect the differences in culture? What do the similarities in the responses suggest about each culture? Research Log. Use this log to keep track of the sources you use, the information you find, and your reactions to what you learn.
Internet sources:
Books and other print sources:
Answers to textbook questions:
