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Summer Reading: English 11 Honors
In preparation for English 11 Honors, each student is required to accomplish the summer reading assignment outlined below.
Assignment
A. You may wish to purchase your own copies of the books listed below so that you can highlight passages and take notes in the text. You must read both of the following:
Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut
The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
B. Take detailed notes outlining each author's use of literary elements and techniques. Include any and all that apply: theme, structure, point-of-view, setting, characterization, conflict, symbolism, irony, foreshadowing, flashback, etc. Support these observations with specific and relevant details from the novels. Students should be able to direct the class to specific parts of the texts to illustrate their ideas (by referring to page numbers, transcribing quotes or brief passages, etc).
C. After reading each work, students should write a reaction/response paper in which they articulate what they liked or disliked about the texts, what they understood or were confused by in the texts, and how they think the two texts relate to each other. The reaction papers should be at least 600 words each.
D. Students should be prepared to write a critical essay on the works in class. The essay will be graded and will be used to begin English Regents preparation and review.
If a student chooses not to continue with the honors curriculum, it is the responsibility of that student to contact the high school guidance office for the appropriate summer reading assignment for English 11.
If you have any questions about the assignment, please feel free to contact the guidance office at 356-8320, or Mrs. Lisa Cutting, English Administrator at 356-8345.