Tentative Final Test Questions

(When your name appears before a question, you are in charge of TEACHING it to your classmates during our Dec. 12 session)

 

Questions for the Final Test will be selected from the following:

Note: Only some questions, and sometimes a part of a question, might appear on the test.  For instance, the test may only include questions 2, 4, 7, 11, and 15; in turn, question 11 may include all 9 points, just 1 (say, point 4), or any number of points in-between.  This is a closed book examination.  You may consult a dictionary, but nothing else.

 

ABDULLAH1. Summarize and interpret Pretty Boy Floyd (min.: 70 words).  To answer this question, you need to read the song on p. 17 or click here.   To see what we mean by a summary (or a retelling) and interpretation, go to pp. 24-25 or click here. Errors people made:  They think that Floyd is voicing the last two stanzas.  This is an error.  It’s Woody who is speaking here.

 

Aaron2. Defend the statement:  The Stub-Book (p. 33)is an example of interdisciplinarity.  In one sense, this story exemplifies IS by being concerned with agriculture, law, psychology.  In an even more important sense, the story exemplifies an IS creative breakthrough (p. 29).  

Eric3. Offer two interpretations of A Sound of Thunder (pp. 36-43 or click here). For an example of what interpretation means, go to p. 25 or click here.   Mistakes people made:  a. They give just one interpretation b.  They do not explain in detail why they believe that is the point that Ray Bradbury was trying to make. 

Thaddeus4. Defend the statement: To really understand Bradbury’s story (36-43 or click here), we must know something about the disciplines of psychology, history, biology, physics, and chaos theory—to mention a few. Answer this question in 5 paragraphs.  In each paragraph mention the discipline, explain what it does, and then answer the question in detail in each of the 5 cases (at least 3 sentences), e.g., how would psychology help us to understand this story? 

 

Aleisa5. Compare and contrast Elephant’s Ear (pp. 47-50b) to Bread and Tulips (Italian movie we saw; also, click here).   Both short story and film depict an accidental adventure, a woman in love, a transforming experience.  There are likewise some differences.  Your essay will explore these similarities and differences.  It will have a title.  The first paragraph will have an introduction.  The next 2-3 paragraphs will explore some important similarities.  The next 2-3 paragraphs, some important differences.  The last paragraph will give the essay’s conclusion.

Martha 6. Retell in at least one page Michael Moore’s Congressional Pimp Pt. 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGN7b37dn4c) and Pt. 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suK2M3Y2pfU).  Start your answer by summarizing, in a single sentence, Moore’s key point.

 

Laronda/Roger7. 1. Retell Kiswana Browne.  2. Who is right about the name change, Kiswana or her mom?  Why?  Can you think of other people (famous or not) who have changed their name for ideological reasons?  What were their reasons?

 

Michella/Tina 8. Essay: Defend the statement:  Some literary works can be readily interpreted, while others cannot.  Please illustrate your answer.  Note again that this is an essay.  It will have a title, and a minimum of 5 paragraphs.  The first will be an introduction, the last a conclusion.  The middle 3 paragraphs will take 3 of the readings and other materials, and show that some of them are pretty easy to interpret, some so-so, while others are hard.  Note:  The point here is NOT summary, nor interpretation, but that sometimes it’s easy to interpret, sometimes so-so, sometimes very hard.   For the final, I shall select the 3 pieces from among the following:  The Zax, The Stub Book, Elephant’s Ear, Bread & Tulips, Starbeast, The Wretched Stone, The Good Example, Rockwell’s The Gossips, Hogarth’s Scholars Listening to a Lecture, Mark Bryan’s Mad Tea Party (http://artofmarkbryan.com); Eagles’ Hotel California (http://youtube.com/watch?v=fJt86UqHtX8), Vivaldi’s Winter (for one effort to visualize all 3 movements, see: http://youtube.com/watch?v=MGS6uSPGqvo).  See also: http://youtube.com/watch?v=dggfA9Vo64U

 

Satori9. Summarize and critique the Julia Sweeney’s presentation.  Background materials:  Excerpts from Julia Sweeney’s play (“Letting Go of God”).  Here, according to program notes, Julia Sweeney, an ex-Catholic, tells (29 minutes) how her faith began to crack after reading a most alarming book--the Bible.  This is the most difficult summary so far, for it involves listening, not reading, and distilling key points in a very complex argument.  If you want to re-listen to her, go to http://www.thislife.org/.   Next, choose 05, find “Godless America,” then click play.  You do not have to listen to the entire program.  Instead, fast forward.  Somewhere around Minute 38.20, you’ll hear some music, then an introduction by a man (Ira Glass), and then you’ll hear a woman’s voice.  The woman is Julia Sweeney.  Listen from that point to the end (about 29 minutes listening time).  Take notes while listening to her.  Then summarize  her key points and illustrate some of them.  Recommended MINIMUM length of your summary: 300 words.  Next you will critically evaluate Sweeney’s essay (for a model, see pp. 25-6 (or click here).  Here you’ll answer and explain such points as: Is her argument a good one?  Why?  Is it a bad one?  Why?  Is it a touching essay?  Why?  Is she sincere?  Why?  Does she do a good job, or is she a bad reader/thinker?  Why? Any other good points?  Bad points?  

Brenda10.  Essay and Class Presentation:  Should I celebrate Columbus Day?

Background material you may wish to read and master beforehand:  a. 4 pages handed in class; b. http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/faculty/campbell/enl310/casas.htm.), c. other Internet or library search of Columbus’ character and record.

In answering this question, please follow the following format:  Title.  Parag. (1) Intro.  Parag. (2) Clinton’s 1996 position (3) Bush’s 2007 position. (4) What’s the most glaring difference between the two?  What might be there reason’s for Bush’s striking omission?  (5) Official Venezuelan position (for this, we’ll rely on Reuter, even though they are probably more sympathetic to the U.S. position).  What are the similarities and differences between Chavez on one hand, Clinton an Bush on the other hand?  (6-8): Columbus’ character, cruelty, and crimes (this will be based in part on your own  search (9) Should you celebrate Columbus Day?  Yes/No/Maybe So and WHY.

 

Deniene11. Know-All (pp. 105-10): a. Please cite at least three instances which seem to suggest that Maugham is a racist. In each case, explain how it could be interpreted as racist.  b. Can you explain Maugham's mathematical error?

 

Jessica12. A Critical Reading of “A Dream Deferred.”

 

Dream Deferred 

 

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

 

a.      What kind of status does a USA stamp confer on Langston Hughes?  Please explain.

b.      What does he mean by a “dream?”  Is it the kind of thing you have when you sleep?

c.      What does it mean, to “defer?”

d.      Now, re-phrase Hughes’ key question (first line) without using either the word “dream” and “defer.”

e.      Whose dream was being deferred?  Note:  Here there are two plausible answers, at least.

f.        Let us assume that the reference is to African Americans some 80 years ago.  What about now?  Is their dream still being deferred?  If you answer is yes, I’m going to take the position of Devil’s Advocate here and say that I don’t believe you.  How could we find out?  In the test, what did we find out in class?

g.      What does it mean, “dry up like a raisin in the sun?”  Please explain.

h.      What does it mean, “sags like a heavy load?”  Please explain.

i.        What does it mean, “explode?”  Why is this the last answer?  Please explain.

j.         Of all the things that can happen to a dream deferred, what is actually happening to it NOW?  Is it exploding now, rotting, drying up, sagging?  Please explain your answer.

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