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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