Purposes of the Introduction

Purposes for Good Introductions:Introducing Your Topic/Subject Quickly
1. Introduce/Reveal the Topic of the Speech

Introduce the Subject. Perhaps the most obvious purpose of an introduction is to introduce the subject of a speech. Within a few seconds after you begin your speech, the audience should have a pretty good idea of what your speech topic. Do not get so carried away with jokes or illustrations that you forget this basic purpose. There is not much point in telling a joke or a story and thcn failing I to relate it to your topic. Few things will frustrate your audience more than having to wait through half your speech before figuring out what you are talking about!
The best way to ensure that your introduction does indeed introduce the subject of your speech is to include a statement of your central idea in the introduction. In the introduction to a speech on geriatric medicine, the speaker left little room for doubt about the subject of her speech: After opening the speech with an illustration about her grandfather's poor health care at the hands of a doctor who misdiagnosed the disease, the speaker said that:

"Doctors have simply not been provided with proper medical training in the care of the elderly."
In a speech on the importance of listening, another speaker offered this statement of her central idea near the end of her introduction:

"Listening is the interpretation and evaluation of what we hear. Today I'd like to talk about listening…"
In both cases, the speakers made certain that the subjects of their speeches were announced in the introductions.

In short, don't get so carried away with trying to open with an interesting, creative, empathetic, or funny introduction that you forget the foremost purpose of the introduction: It should introduce the subject of your speech.

2. Gain Favorable Attention

Gain Favorable Attention. You are exposed to countless verbal messages every day, both from the media and from other people. For you to focus on anyone message, something about it has to grab your attention and put you in a receptive mood. So a second purpose of the speech introduction is to gain favorable attention for your speech. This concept is called several different names including attention getter, lead and hook.

Think about how long it takes you to decide whether to watch the channel you're on or to surf further. Think about how long it takes your parents to sort through junk mail. The people who design these mailings spend millions of dollars on "favorability gimmicks" to get their audience to read. Think about how long it takes you to decide if today's class is going to be fun or a bust.

Because listeners form their first impressions of the speech quickly, if the introduction does not capture their attention and cast the speech in a favorable light, the rest of the speech may be wasted on them. The speaker who walks to the podium and drones, "Today I am going to talk to you about. . ." has probably lost most of the audience in those first few boring words. Your peers will be discussing some of the ways to specifically gain favorable attention. Most people can be "hooked" by a good illustration, humor, a startling fact or statistic, or one of the other methods we will discuss. Why do we emphasize favorable attention? For one very good reason. It is possible to grab an audience's attention but in so doing to alienate them or disgust them so that they become irritated instead of interested in what you have to say. For example, a student began an anti abortion speech with a graphic description of the abortion process. She caught her audience's attention but made them so uncom­fortable that they could hardly concentrate on the rest of her speech.

Another student gave a speech on the importance of donating blood. Without a word, he began by savagely slashing his wrists in front of his stunned audience. As blood spurted, audience members screamed, and one fainted. It was real blood, but not his. The speaker worked at a blood bank. Using the bank's blood, he placed a device under each arm that allowed him to pump out the blood as if from his wrists. He certainly grabbed his audience's attention! But they never heard his message. The shock and disgust of seeing such a display made that impossible. He did not gain favorable attention.

3. Preview the Body of the Speech

Preview the Body of the Speech. The second purpose of a speech introduction is to preview the main ideas of your speech. As you saw in Chapter 8, the preview statement usually comes near the end of the introduction, often immediately fol­lowing a statement of the central idea. It outlines for the audience what the main ideas of your speech will be. The preview statement "tells them what you're going to tell them." It allows your listeners to anticipate the main ideas of your speech, which in turn helps ensure that they will remember those ideas after the speech. After opening with an illustration, a speaker talking about political prisoners of conscience offered this preview statement:

"I'll begin with a definition of a prisoner of conscience. I'll present a rough outline as to their numbers and locations. I'll examine some of the reasons for their abuse; and finally, I'll offer some solutions to ease their suffering."

This preview statement makes clear to the audience what the main points of the speech are going to be.

An effective introduction not only introduces the subject of the speech, but it also previews the main ideas that will be presented in the body of the speech.

4. Motivate the Audience to Listen--Relevance

Establish a Motivation or Relevance for Listening. Even after you have captured the attention of your audience, you have to give them some reason to want to listen to the rest of your speech. An unmotivated listener quickly tunes out. You can help establish listening motivation by showing the members of your audience how the topic affects them directly.
Relevance is the concept that listeners will be most attentive to information that affects them directly. Relevance is important in­ introductions because most people decide very quickly if a presentation applies to them and their lives. "This concerns me" is a powerful reason to listen. Notice how this speaker involves her audience with the problem of toxic silver dental fillings:

"It's estimated that 90% of the American population has silver fillings. That's some 225 million Americans with mercury in their teeth. Because this number is so large and many of us are counted in this number, I'd like to tell you about mercury, the toxic poison, and show you why we must escape its contamination."

Yes, the significance of the statistics is attention-getting, but it also motivates her audience to listen further by pointing out their personal susceptibility to the potential dangers.
After introducing the problem of unfair political asylum, another speaker ob­served:

At this point, you are probably asking yourself:

"Why should I be concerned about a problem involving only foreigners?" First of all, our government makes the decisions--­it represents us. As a nation, we assumed the responsibility of political asylum. Therefore, we must deal with it, however complex. Finally and most importantly, the problem deserves our attention, because the policy serves humanity. We know that it is only right to correct the inconsistencies within the system."
In this passage, the speaker made an impersonal problem-political asylum-morally relevant to her listeners. She motivated her audience by placing on them a burden of personal responsibility; she told them why the problem-should be of interest to them. Demonstrating that your topic is of vital personal concern to your audience is an effective motivator.

5. Establish Credibility

Establish Your Credibility. Credibility is the attitude listeners hold toward a
speaker. A credible speaker is one whom the audience judges to be a believable authority and a competent speaker. A credible speaker is also someone the audience believes in and can trust.

You should be mindful of your listeners' attitude toward you. When thinking of your listeners, ask yourself, "Why should they listen to me? What is my background with respect to the topic? Am I personally committed to the issues about which I am going to speak?" Many people have so much admiration for a political or religious figure, an athlete, or an entertainer that they sacrifice time, energy, and money to be members of an audience to which one of these admired persons is speaking. When Pope John Paul II came to the United States during the summer of 1987, people traveled great distances and stood for hours in intense heat to celebrate Mass with him.

Most people cannot take their own credibility for granted when they speak. If you can establish your credibility early in the speech, it will help motivate your audience to listen. One way to build credibility in the introduction is to be well prepared and to appear confident. Speaking fluently while maintaining eye contact does much to convey a sense of confidence. If you seem to have confidence in yourself, your audience will have confidence in you. A second way to establish credibility is to tell the audience of your personal experience with your topic. If you are an expert on your topic, don't let modesty keep you from letting the audience know. Instead of considering you as boastful, most audience members will listen to you with respect. Notice how the following speaker opened his speech on Boy Scouting:

"I come before you today representing one out of fifteen million people in over 67 countries throughout the world who belong to a very special organization, an organization designed I to help prepare youth for their future life. The organization is Boy Scouting, the world's best known youth movement."
Learning that the speaker was someone who was actively involved in scouting undoubtedly helped motivate the audience to listen to his point of view. Another student opened her speech with this personal illustration:

"Within the last year, two members of my family were diagnosed by their doctors as having skin cancer, caused by the sun. In my mother's case, she had purposefully, although naively subjected herself to the sun, laying out, tanning in tanning salons, etc. In my, grandmother's case, she was diagnosed by her doctor as having skin cancer from her I normal exposure to the sun. This woman had never sought the sun. Both of these cases made me realize that even though I don't subject myself as my mother does; I certainly get more unintentional exposure than my grandmother. So, I came face to face with the fact that I too could contract this disease."

Because she revealed her personal involvement with the topic, the speaker undoubtedly gained authority in the eyes of her audience. Her listeners would probably say to themselves, "She really knows what she's talking about." By enhancing her own credibility, the speaker established a strong motivation for the audience to listen to her.

A speaker should not take for granted some variables in his or her control. One of these considerations is personal appearance. Like it or not, how we dress plays a role in how people listen to us. Take, for example, the student who shows up in tattered jeans and a "holey" t-shirt to talk about a serious social issue. It might be difficult for the most objective listener to fully overlook this type of dress. The person simply hasn't considered how he/she is presenting themself. In like fashion, take the example of the man who shows up in a full suit to apply for a job in dry-wall installation. The foreman interviewing him and the other on-lookers might have quite a chuckle at his expense. Dressing for audience, occasion and purpose are always important considerations if the speaker is to be taken seriously.

The audience's speaking experience begins much sooner than when the first words come from the speaker's mouth. Some speakers underestimate their audience(s). Audiences are very observant and smart. By enlarge, they want speakers to succeed. However, certain behaviors seem to stick with the audience and their perception of the speaker.

Take, for example, the Olympic medal winner who was caught "picking his nose" in front of an auditorium of high school students before he spoke. Weeks after the speech when a teacher made reference to his speech, one of the students chimed in, "you mean the guy who kept picking his nose." Audiences use all sorts of information to judge a speaker. We need to be aware of our behavior and our dress when we are in front of an audience.

Speech introductions, then, should introduce the subject, preview the body of the speech, gain favorable attention for the speech, establish a motivation for listening, and establish your personal credibility. All this-- brevity too-may I seem impossible to achieve. But it isn't!

Teaching the First Pre-Speaking & Pre-Writing Block

Pre-Speaking or Pre-Writing Block

TO BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTING YOUR MESSAGE/SPEECH OR WRITING YOUR RESEARCH PAPER.

Whenever we communicate—whether it be through speaking or writing--we do so in real time for a real purpose and for a real audience. Prior to this communication, we need to consider our purpose and that audience. This pre-speaking/prewriting block is intended to assist us in developing and constructing a strong message.

1. GENERAL PURPOSE (GP): to+_________________
   (one verb)
   
   (possible examples: to inform, to persuade, to convince, to teach, to introduce, to demonstrate, to motivate, to inspire)
   
2. SPECIFIC PURPOSE (SP): I will _______________THE AUDIENCE THAT/TO
   (GP Verb)
   _________________________________________________ SO THAT THE
   (subject and opinion of subject=thesis base)
   AUDIENCE WILL______________________________________________.
   (short explanation of the audience action or
   thought that you desire=actuation)
   
   Examples of this in speeches might look like any of the following:
   
   I will convince (GP verb) the audience that year round school is a bad idea (thesis base) so that the audience will attend the next school board meeting and help me oppose the idea and sign my petition against it (actuation).
   
   I will motivate (GP verb) the audience to purchase the amazing and inexpensive new Zingmaster 3000 (thesis base) so that the audience will buy one or consider buying one (actuation).
   
   I will inform (GP verb) the audience that school pride at Lewis Central needs to be improved (thesis base) so that the audience will show more school spirit at all school events (actuation).
   I will inspire (GP verb) the audience to spend their extra time in the worthwhile activity of volunteerism (thesis base) so that the audience will look for a worthwhile charitable organization to donate his/her time (acutation).
   
   
3. AUDIENCE ANALYSIS STATEMENT: Several (at least three) sentences that analyze your audience and predict your success or failure in accomplishing your goal. Predict what the audience thinks of the subject and how they will react to the speech and/or your opinion of the speech. In the advanced stages of AAS you will need to consider the “simulated audience” that you are assigned to speak. This may include clients in a Sales Speech or a community forum including parents, students, teachers, administrators and school board members in the Opinion Speech. Different audiences require us to construct our messages differently. Consider these questions. You don’t have to answer all of them but should consider these questions, people’s “filters of perception” when analyzing your audience.
   
   What does this audience think of this topic;
   How will the audience react to the information in my speech;
   How is it that I will accomplish my GP & my SP
   What might get in the way of me accomplishing my goals;
   What prejudices, biases, filters or previous experiences might get in the way of the audience agreeing with me.
   
   Examples of this might look like the following:
   
   I believe that this audience believes that school spirit is pretty good at Lewis Central High School. However, when I share examples with them that demonstrate the behaviors of students at LC during concerts, plays and some athletic events that they will understand that they should support the students who try to represent our school with pride. Some students who show great school spirit can find some value in this speech by having an influence on their friends. Students who are unattached to our school in terms of competitions, performances and pep rallies need to understand that these activities are a positive reflection on all of us. Hopefully, after hearing about the time and commitment that their fellow students demonstrate in these activities they will be inspired to demonstrate more school spirit.
   
   I believe that this audience believes that year-round school is a bad idea because they really don't understand the idea. By informing students that year round school actually has as many days off as our current calendar, students might reconsider their opinion. I also think that the research that I share with them will prove to them that year-round school will improve their learning, their skills and make them more competitivie for scholarships, boost their ACT scores and improve retention The major prejudice that students have with this topic is that they enjoy the long break at summer. However, several breaks during the school year will be really appealing to some of them. Getting them to reconsider their opinion on this topic is really what I'm out to achieve.
   © Thomas V. McLaughlin Jr., 2006--for permission to use this document for purposes other than classes taken with Mr. McLaughlin, please contact Mr. McLaughlin at tvmclaughlin@cox.net or mclaughlt@lewiscentral.k12.ia.us

"Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

"Harrison Bergeron" is a satirical, dystopia. 

Satire uses of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc,  Satires are literary compositions, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule.

is a vision of an often futuristic society, which has developed into a negative version of Utopia, in which society has degraded into a repressive, controlled state. A dystopia is often characterized by an authoritarian or totalitarian form of government.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD College/ACT/SAT Vocabulary

To Kill a Mockingbird: Vocabulary with Definitions

Chapters 1-2

1. apothecary—one who prepares and sells medicines
2. assuaged—made less severe or burdensome
3. indigenous—occurring or living naturally in an area
4. malevolent—having or exhibiting hatred
5. mortification—a feeling of shame or humiliation
6. piety—religious devotion and reverence to God
7. sojourn—a brief, temporary stay
8. unsullied—spotlessly clean and fresh
9. vexations—irritations or annoyances
10. wallowing—heavily indulging in; rolling in

Independent Novel Menu 1: Novel Specific Vocabulary

Part One: Novel Specific “Student-Chosen” Vocabulary Assignment

Choose ONE of the following assignments. Include a title and any necessary headings.

Independent Novel Menu 2: Vocabulary, Literary Terms

MENU TWO: LITERARY TERMS: If you know all of these terms and can prove it with Mr. McLaughlin, you do not need to complete this menu. Everyone will take a paper/pencil exam on these terms at the end fo the two weeks and two weekends.

Independent Novel Menu 3: The Journal Entries

PART THREE: RESPONSE TO LITERATURE JOURNAL ENTRIES

Your task is to complete 10 JOURNAL RESPONSES (single-spaced, half-page, minimum in 12 point font and full-page maximum)to what you are reading. Divide your novel roughly into 10-14 sections (you have two full weeks and two weekends to complete the novel). For each entry include the date and the pages read.

To receive an "A" on this section of the menu, the student must complete 10 journal entries at an "A" level  To receive a "B" the student must complete "8" journals at a "B" level.  To receive a "C" the student must complete a minimum of "6" journal entries at a "C" level.

Independent Novel Menu 4: The Project

PART FOUR: THE FINAL PROJECT

After you have finished your novel choose one project to complete. This project is a chance to challenge your creative side and show what you learned, enjoyed, or pondered on as you were reading. Each student must also complete a writing assignment based on the novel. A grade specific set of criteria can be seen following the list of projects.

Independent Novel Menu 5: Writing the Literary Analysis

GRADE SPECIFIC CRITERIA FOR THE WRITING COMPONENT

Your final review must be typed in 12 point Times New Roman font. Your margins must be 1” maximum and the review/theme analysis must be double-spaced. You need to have an MLA heading on the paper. In the opening paragraph, you must include the title and the author of the novel.

Independent Novel Sample Paper

This paper demonstrates a good use of support to prove its point.  The paper, however, could afford to have a stronger attention getter/lead/hook.  So, if you use this paper as a model, be aware that it still needs work.

Be aware, that this typed paper needs to be in Times New Roman 12 pt. font, should be double-spaced, should have an MLA heading and the pages should have a 1" margin.

Hit the "READ MORE" link for some other helpful hints, directions and models. One doesn't need to read all of the links.  Please browse them and find one that best fits your style.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

"My feets is weary, but my soul is rested."
The Montgomery Bus Boycott officially started on December 1, 1955. That was the day when the blacks of Montgomery, Alabama, decided that they would boycott the city buses until they could sit anywhere they wanted, instead of being relegated to the back when a white boarded. It was not, however, the day that the movement to desegregate the buses started. Perhaps the movement started on the day in 1943 when a black seamstress named Rosa Parks paid her bus fare and then watched the bus drive off as she tried to re-enter through the rear door, as the driver had told her to do. Perhaps the movement started on the day in 1949 when a black professor Jo Ann Robinson absentmindedly sat at the front of a nearly empty bus, then ran off in tears when the bus driver screamed at her for doing so. Perhaps the movement started on the day in the early 1950s when a black pastor named Vernon Johns tried to get other blacks to leave a bus in protest after he was forced to give up his seat to a white man, only to have them tell him, "You ought to knowed better." [2] The story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott is often told as a simple, happy tale of the "little people" triumphing over the seemingly insurmountable forces of evil. The truth is a little less romantic and a little more complex.

SWEET POTATO PIE by Eugenia Collier

Sweet Potato Pie by Eugenia Collier
BEFORE READING
Background

When the Civil War ended, many owners of large Southern plantation split their land up into small plots and set up sharecropping arrangements with former slaves and poor whites. The sharecroppers farmed the land, turning over a share of the crop to the landowners. In return, the landowners gave them seed, tools, and a place to live. Most sharecroppers worked very hard but lived in great poverty, subject to the whim of landowners, weather, and insect blights.

In this selection, Eugenia Collier gives readers a glimpse of what life was like for a family of sharecroppers.

Sweet Potato Pie Resources

Harlem: A History in Pictures

To the narrator, visiting the Harlem area of New York City is like returning "to some mythic ancestral home." This Web site provides a glimpse into the history and importance of Harlem. After reading the information, record in the Web Links Activity Log some of the reasons why Harlem is considered by many to be the cultural and political center of the African American world.

Cooking African American Style

African American food, especially sweet potato pie, plays a central role in Eugenia Collier's story. Visit this site to learn more about the origins of African American cooking. Be sure to click on the Desserts link at the bottom of the page and try out the recipe for sweet potato pie.

English 10B ACT/SAT Vocabulary Preparation: Unit One

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2008 Period 4,
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008 Period 1

1.1 ALOOF (uh LOOF) distant, reserved in manner, uninvolved.Memory Link: ROOF--the aloof cat on the roof

Most everyone though Theodore ALOOF when actually he was only very shy.

Nothing ruins a fine dinner at a good restaurant like an ALOOF waiter who makes the entire experience uncomfortable.

At the wedding reception, the bride's relatives were very ALOOF, hardly speaking to the groom's guests and family.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2008 Period 4,
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008 Period 11.2 AUSTERE (aw STEER) stern, as in manner; without excess, unadorned, severely simple and plain.
Memory Link: STEER--a plainly dressed steer at a fancy party

Jill's father was AUSTERE, rarely smiled and was always stern with her about having dates with boys that he didn't know.

The AUSTERITY of life in the village was understandable. Many were jobless and evidence of poverty was everywhere.

Her home was AUSTERELY decorated, very plain furniture without frills and only items that were necessary.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008
1.3 BULWARK (BULL wurk) a defensive wall; something literal or figurative serving as a principal defense.
Memory Link: BULL WORK--bulls working to build a wall

Quebec City is the only city in North America with a BULWARK built entirely around it.

The budget for national defense is an economic burden for all taxpayers, but we must never forget our armed services are the BULWARK of defense for the nation.

Our mother was a BULWARK against bad times; no matter how bad things became, she always wore a smile and had a cheerful word.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008
1.4 CACOPHONY (kuh KAFH uh nee) harsh sounds.
Memory Link: COUGH--a bunch of smokers hacking and coughing in a smoking lounge
A CACOPHONY isn't noise alone, it is disturbing noise such as when people shout all at once.

Gene thinks all rock music is a CACOPHONY to be avoided whenever possible.

An unpleasant CACOPHONY of sound was produced when the orchestra tuned their instruments. But once they began to play together the sounds became euphonious.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2008
1.5 CEREBRAL (suh REE brul) of or relating to the brain; an intellectual person
Memory Link: CEREAL--a skinny little boy eating his Cheerios to be a smart guy like his dad

CEREBRAL for a football player, the wily Kansas quaterback rarely called a play that wasn't well planned and thought out.

Dr. Clark was too CEREBRAL to be a boy scout leader. Instead of saying "pitch your tents overy by the cliff," he would confuse everyone with his big words and say, "construct the canvas shelters in the proxity of the promonotory."

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008
1.6 CONNOISSEUR (kahn uh SUR) an expert, particularly in matters of art and taste
Memory Link: KING OF THE SEWER--the rat, king of the sewer, examining all the great garbage to eat
My uncle is a CONNOISSEUR of fine wines.

Art dealer, Jorge Guizar, is a CONNOISSEUR of Mexican art of the 19th century.

When it came to coins, Jerry proclaimed he was a CONNOISSEUR, because he had collected them all his life.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2008
1.7 FORBEAR (for BAYR) to refrain from; to abstain; to be patient or tolerant
Memory Link: FOUR BEARS--forbear from feeding the four begging bears at Jellystone Park
To FORBEAR your opinion on any controversial matter until you have first heard all of the facts is generally the wisest course of action.

Jonathan said his motto was to never FORBEAR a good party for another time when you can have one today.

Henry FORBORE his decision to close the store, deciding to wait until after the Christmas season.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2008
1.8 INCONGRUOUS (in KAHN grew us) not appropriate, unsuited to the surroundings; not fitting in
Memory Link: IN CONGRESS--the Alaskan senator wearing a fur cap, a jacket with fringe, knee high boots and a a bowie knife around his well dressed colleagues

Ed appeared INCONGRUOUS wearing his tuxedo to on an old-fashioned hayride.

The INCONGRUITY with Joseph's chosen career was that he had a Ph.D in chemistry, but preferred to work as a mullet fisherman.

INCONGRUOUSLY, Dianne speant several days a week at the library, even though she professed that she didn't like to read.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2008
1.9 LAMENT (la MINT) to express sorrow or regret; to mourn
Memory Link: CEMENT--mobsters mourning the burying of a friend in cement shoes

The song, "Cowboy's LAMENT," is a ballad about the lonely life of those who drive cattle for a living.

The nation LAMENTS the passing of the President while at the same time celebrating his achievements while in office.

It is LAMENTABLE that Roscoe quit college in his sophomore year; his professors considered hime the brightest engineering student in his class.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2008
1.10 LANGUISH (lang GWISH) to become weak or feeble: sag with loss of strength.
Memory Link: LAND FISH--a fish walking in the desert

An outdoorsman all his life, Mr. Franklin quickly LANGUISHED in his job as a night watchman.

It was so hot in the theatre, Charolotte soon began to LANGUISH.

(To LANGUISH is to be LANGUID) The fish in the aquarium hardly stirred, moving LANGUIDLY when they moved at all.

YOUR DICTIONARY WORD OF THE UNITMONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2008
1.11 ORATOR:
Memory Link:

Please write three sentences using the following derivatives of the words: ORATE, ORATION, ORATOR

Idea & Content Writing Excercise

Special thanks to http://www.writersdigest.com/WritingPrompts/ for this material.

Rewrite a nursery rhyme (Three Blind Mice, Jack and Jill, etc.) from a character's point of view.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here

Write a 26-line poem using all the letters of the alphabet, where the first line starts with the letter "A," the second "B," the third "C," etc., culminating with the final line starting with "Z."
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here

You bump into an ex-lover on Valentine's Day—the one whom you often call "The One That Got Away." What happens?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here

What was the first CD (or record or cassette) you ever purchased? Write about the way that particular album made you feel then. Write about how it makes you feel now.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here

You were recently laid off. Instead of moping around, you've viewed it as a chance to start fresh. Pick a new career and write about your first day on the job.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here

What's your number one pet peeve? Develop a punishment for anyone caught in the act.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here

Take a character from one of your stories and examine his or her ipod playlist. What 10 songs best describe the character?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here

You're at a U2 concert when you receive a text from a friend that says, "You'll never believe what just happened to me!" In the form of a text chat, find out what happened to your friend.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here

What's the worst present you've ever received? How did you react and what, ultimately, did you do with the gift?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here


A man buys a parrot, and is horrified when he discovers the only thing it can say is, “If you ever tell anyone what you saw, I’ll kill you.” (submitted by Khara House)
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here


You've been hired by a bumper sticker manufacturer to come up with ideas. Write a clever or witty phrase you'd love to see on a bumper sticker. (If you want, write several.)
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here


You head to the mall for some holiday shopping and, just as you're about to park, someone steals your parking spot. Do you do something for revenge or do you stay in the holiday spirit and not let it bother you—and let karma do the dirty work?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here


If you had to choose between yesterday and tomorrow, which would you pick and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here


You're cleaning out your garage and, hidden away in a back corner, you find an old shoebox. The box is heavier than it should be. When you open it up, you find cash—$40,000, to be exact. Where did the cash come from, who hid it there and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here


You're walking through a cemetery and you pass the grave of a World War II veteran. Write a scene from his life story.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here


You're taking a business trip and, as luck would have it, you're upgraded to first class—something you've never done before. As you sit down in your new, more comfortable chair, you notice that the person sitting next to you is a famous musician. Write this scene.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here


Thinking back to your childhood and the many Halloween costumes you wore, which costume was your favorite and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here

Guided Practice: Supporting a Literary Analysis Theme in HARRISON BERGERON

Harrison Bergeron Themes

The following are acceptable themes that Vonnegut pursues in his short story, HARRISON BERGERON.  Do your best to find FIVE explainers, pieces of dialogue, literature to support this as a valid LITERARY ANALYSIS.

Freedom
As a theme, freedom remains in the background of the story, emerging when Harrison escapes from jail. In the story's futuristic society, freedom is no longer a bedrock American value; enforcing the law that makes those who are "above normal'' equal to those who are "normal" has become the major social value. Forced equality by handicapping the above-normal individuals evolved as a response to the demonized concept of competition (which existed in ‘‘the dark ages’’) in all its possible forms. Vonnegut suggests that freedom can be taken away relatively easily, especially since the forced equality in the story has been authorized by Amendments to the Constitution.

Civil Rights
Civil rights have become extinct in "Harrison Bergeron.’’ The culture values mediocrity to the point that the people accept oppressive measures in the name of equality. Ironically, no one really benefits from these misguided attempts to enforce equality, except perhaps the incompetent, such as the television announcer who, "like all announcers, had a serious speech impediment.’’ In Hazel's words, the announcer's incompetence should be forgiven because his attempt is "the big thing. He tried to do the best he could with what God gave him. He should get a nice raise for trying so hard.’’ Should anyone in that society dare to become above average, he or she is immediately punished, as is Harrison, who is executed for shunning mediocrity and attempting to excel. By creating a society where the goal of equality has resulted in a grotesque caricature of humanity, Vonnegut implies that individual civil rights should never be sacrificed, not even for the alleged common good.

Knowledge and Ignorance
Everyone above average in any way has been forced by the government to bear a physical handicap that makes him or her "normal." People who are more intelligent or knowledgeable than the average person have had their knowledge subverted by such devices as the mental handicap ear radio. This device emits various noises every twenty seconds or so to prevent people from taking "unfair advantage of their brains." "Normal" in the story can best be described as subnormal, incompetent, and ignorant. Hazel is a case in point; as a normal person, she wears no handicaps, and she has a good heart, yet she knows very little about anything and cannot remember what she just saw or heard a moment ago. At the end of the story, she takes literally George's intensifying statement, ‘‘You can say that again,’’ by repeating what she just said. Vonnegut suggests that an authoritarian government thrives on the ignorance of the people and on the suppression of intelligence and knowledge.

Law and Order
In addition to the critique of authoritarian government in the form of the Handicapper General agents (H-G men), Vonnegut discusses the ways in which the Handicapper General uses the fear of competition to make obeying the laws an ethical decision. Hazel feels sorry for George, who has to wear forty-seven pounds of birdshot around his neck, so she invites him to lighten his load. He rejects the idea of cheating (breaking the law) with a recital of the punishment: "two years in prison and two thousand dollars for every [lead birdshot] ball'' taken out. He continues by describing the bandwagon effect: other people would try to break the law if George could do so. He asserts that backsliding would result in a return ‘‘to the dark ages, with everybody competing against everybody else.’’ Cheating on laws, George claims (or is about to claim when a siren blast through his mental handicap radio shatters his concentration), would reduce society to chaos. Here, Vonnegut satirizes the fear of change and of uncertainty: victims of the oppressive law want to enforce it rather than take their chances without it.

Strength and Weakness
One of the implied reasons Harrison may want to overthrow the government has to do with strength and weakness. He recognizes the inequality of forcing strong people (those mentally, intellectually, and physically strong) to give up their strength for an orderly society of equal, law-abiding citizens. Of course, the enforcers of the law do not have to submit to forced equality themselves; they have no handicaps, which could signify their inherent mediocrity, as does the implied physical resemblance of Hazel to Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General herself. Vonnegut shows what extraordinary strength can do: defy the laws of gravity and motion. But Vonnegut also shows that strength can be used to oppress the weak, even in the name of protecting the weak against the excesses of the strong.

Ubermensch (‘‘Superman’’)
The idea of the superhuman materializes in the character of Harrison. Though only fourteen-years-old, at seven feet tall with a high intellect, he exceeds the physical and intellectual abilities of anyone else in the story. Likewise, his physical appearance, judged by the kinds of handicaps he must wear, suggests an Adonis-like figure. His handicaps include thick, wavy-lens spectacles; a red rubber clown nose; and snaggle-tooth black caps for his teeth. His natural abilities do not make him immortal, however; like other human beings, he can die from an antiquated weapon like the ten-gauge double-barreled shotgun of Diana Moon Glampers. Harrison's attempt to assert his authority neither lasts long nor has any real effect on anyone. Truly befitting the superman concept, he declares himself emperor, "a greater ruler than any man who ever lived’’ (even with his handicaps). He does not recognize, however, his human flaw: replacing one authoritarian government with another. Like so many other revolutions, Harrison's short-lived attempt to overthrow the ruthless totalitarianism that has become the American government becomes totalitarian itself. Vonnegut suggests that power, whether invested in the government or in the individual figure, corrupts.

American Dream
The American Dream, best described as upward social and economic class mobility through hard work and education has become an American Nightmare in "Harrison Bergeron.'' No one, except the Handicapper General agents, can achieve upward mobility, either because they bear artificial handicaps or because they are naturally mediocre. In a scheme that brings anyone who is above normal in any aspect down to the level of a person who is normal in all aspects, no one can dream about moving upward.

Media Influence
Vonnegut suggests the powerful influence of broadcast media in the story. Radio is the medium of the mental handicap noises used to prevent anyone with the ability to think from doing so. But television accomplishes the same thing for normal people like Hazel, who ‘‘had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn't think about anything except in short bursts.’’ This lack of concentration has come to be known as short attention span, or attention deficit disorder. Many critics credit television for the decreasing attention span of the population. They also suggest television programming desensitizes people to real life, in part because it requires nothing of the viewer. Significantly, approximately five months before publication of the story in 1961, Newton Minow, new chair of the Federal Communications Commission (a government agency that regulates broadcast media), called television a "vast wasteland'' of mediocrity in programming. Vonnegut suggests the importance of television as a means of controlling information by having Harrison Bergeron take over the television studio and proclaim himself emperor. Vonnegut also shows the numbing influence of television by having Hazel forget what she has seen—her son's killing—even though she reacts by recognizing that something sad has happened.

Sample Literary Analyis for Independent Novel

Alyssa Ensminger
Mr. McLaughlin
Literary Analysis
11 September 1998

Deep Desires that Transcend Time

      William Butler Yeats wrote two poems which are together known as the Byzantium series. The first is "Sailing to Byzantium," and its sequel is simply named "Byzantium." The former is considered the easier of the two to understand. It contains multiple meanings and emotions, and the poet uses various literary devices to communicate them. Two of the most dominant themes of this poem are the desire for escape from the hardships of this world and the quest for immortality. These are circumstances of the poet's life that influenced the composition of the poem. Those personal experiences and Yeats's skillful use of words come together to emphasize the need, or at least desire, that many people have for escape and immortality.

(Poetry) Write Now

Def Poetry - Al B Back - Super Negro

To Kill a Mockingbird--Key Facts

Key Facts

FULL TITLE · To Kill a Mockingbird

AUTHOR · Harper Lee

TYPE OF WORK · Novel

GENRE · Coming-of-age story; social drama; courtroom drama; Southern drama

LANGUAGE · English

TIME & PLACE WRITTEN · Mid-1950s; New York City

PUBLICATION DATE · 1960

PUBLISHER · J. B. Lippincott

NARRATOR · Scout narrates the story herself, looking back in retrospect an unspecified number of years after the events of the novel take place.

POINT OF VIEW · Scout narrates in the first person, telling what she saw and heard at the time and augmenting this narration with thoughts and assessments of her experiences in retrospect. Although she is by no means an omniscient narrator, she has matured considerably over the intervening years and often implicitly and humorously comments on the naïveté she displayed in her thoughts and actions as a young girl. Scout mostly tells of her own thoughts but also devotes considerable time to recounting and analyzing Jem’s thoughts and actions.

TONE · Childlike, humorous, nostalgic, innocent; as the novel progresses, increasingly dark, foreboding, and critical of society

TENSE · Past

SETTING · 1933–1935  · The fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama

PROTAGONIST · Scout Finch

MAJOR CONFLICT · The childhood innocence with which Scout and Jem begin the novel is threatened by numerous incidents that expose the evil side of human nature, most notably the guilty verdict in Tom Robinson’s trial and the vengefulness of Bob Ewell. As the novel progresses, Scout and Jem struggle to maintain faith in the human capacity for good in light of these recurring instances of human evil.

RISING ACTION · Scout, Jem, and Dill become fascinated with their mysterious neighbor Boo Radley and have an escalating series of encounters with him. Meanwhile, Atticus is assigned to defend a black man, Tom Robinson against the spurious rape charges Bob Ewell has brought against him. Watching the trial, Scout, and especially Jem, cannot understand how a jury could possibly convict Tom Robinson based on the Ewells’ clearly fabricated story.

CLIMAX · Despite Atticus’s capable and impassioned defense, the jury finds Tom Robinson guilty. The verdict forces Scout and Jem to confront the fact that the morals Atticus has taught them cannot always be reconciled with the reality of the world and the evils of human nature.

FALLING ACTION · When word spreads that Tom Robinson has been shot while trying to escape from prison, Jem struggles to come to terms with the injustice of the trial and of Tom Robinson’s fate. After making a variety of threats against Atticus and others connected with the trial, Bob Ewell assaults Scout and Jem as they walk home one night, but Boo Radley saves the children and fatally stabs Ewell. The sheriff, knowing that Boo, like Tom Robinson, would be misunderstood and likely convicted in a trial, protects Boo by saying that Ewell tripped and fell on his own knife. After sitting and talking with Scout briefly, Boo retreats into his house, and Scout never sees him again.

THEMES · The coexistence of good and evil; the importance of moral education; social class

MOTIFS · Gothic details; small-town life

SYMBOLS · Mockingbirds; Boo Radley

FORESHADOWING · The Gothic elements of the novel (the fire, the mad dog) build tension that subtly foreshadows Tom Robinson’s trial and tragic death; Burris Ewell’s appearance in school foreshadows the nastiness of Bob Ewell; the presents Jem and Scout find in the oak tree foreshadow the eventual discovery of Boo Radley’s good-heartedness; Bob Ewell’s threats and suspicious behavior after the trial foreshadow his attack on the children.

Mr. McLaughlin's English 10B Vocabulary: Unit 4 SAT/ACT Words

4.1 ASTUTE ( ) quick in descernment; shrewd, clever, keen.
Larry thought a new SUIT would make him appear more ASTUTE for his job interview

Louisa has a natural ASTUTENESS in dealing with angry people and winning them over to her view, thereby settling matters amicably.

4.2 BLATHER ( ) to talk nonsensically
Karen and Allison BLATHERED until their mouths LATHERED.

Everything the media reported about the supposed plane disaster never happened. It was a bunch of BLATHER by uninformed journalists.

4.3 CONGENIAL ( ) pleasant to be around; social, agreeable
Folks in JEANS are very CONGENIAL.

Miss Florida was voted Miss CONGENIALITY in the Miss America pageant.

Dr. Armstrong was very CONGENIAL, always a smile and a kind word for his patients, and candies for the children.

4.4 DOLDRUMS ( ) a period or condition of depression or inactivity
All covered with dust, the DOLL DRUMS were in the DOLDRUMS.

Ever since Jackie’s dog died, the little fellow has not touched his toys, moping around day after day in the DOLDRUMS.

For thirteen days we were becalmed in the Horse Latitudes near the equator, out ship drifting in the DOLDRUMS without the faintest breeze to fill the sails of out vessel.

4.5 DRACONIAN ( ) hard, harsh, severe, cruel
Count DRACULA often behaved in a DRACONIAN manner.

Mr. Jeb had a DRACONIAN personality. Nothing his students did pleased him, and rarely did half of his students get passing grades.

Judge McNamara handed down a DRACONIAN sentence to the defendant, sixty days for littering.

The word DRACONIAN did not originate with the fictional character, Count Dracula, but with an ancient Greek official named Dracula who crated a harsh code of laws.

4.6 MARTYR ( ) someone willing to sacrifice and even give his/her life for a cause; also one who pretends suffering to gain sympathy.
It’s HARDER to be a MARTYR.

She was a professional MARTYR, all- suffering for her children, or so she would tell them ten times a day.

Joan of Arc was undoubtedly the most famous MARTYR in modern history, burned at the stake because she refused to go against her beliefs.

Jack was a MARTYR to his job; he worked seven days a week and rarely took a day off.

4.7 MISNOMER ( ) an incorrect or inappropriate name
What a MISNOMER, our little MISS HOMER struck out five times in a row.

A nickname like “Speedy” is a MISNOMER when directed toward one who is slow at what they do.

We usually have dinner at this very small Italian restaurant called The Spaghetti Factory, obviously a MISNOMER of major proportions.

It was no MISNOMER when the called Harry Houdini, “ The Great HOUDINI,” as he was the greatest escape artist of his time.

4.8 MUSTER ( ) to collect or gather; the act of inspection or critical examination.
Each morning the MUSTARD troops are MUSTERED for roll call.

In 1836 the Texans at the Alamo MUSTERED all the troops available to defend against the invading Mexican Army.

The restaurant owner inspected the kitchen and said the eating utensils did not pass MUSTER, and for the dish washer to wash them all over again.

He was MUSTERED into the army at the age of eighteen.

4.9 OBTUSE ( ) insensitive; block- headed, slow in comprehension.
Don’t be OBTUSE, the gorse-thief gets the NOOSE, not the horse.

Hazel was so OBTUSE she thought a watched pot of water never boils.

The OBTUSENESS of some people is due to their unwillingness to accept new ideas.

Don’t pretend to be so OBTUSE. You know the idea of business investing is to buy low and sell high.

4.10 SCRUTINIZE ( ) to look very carefully; to examine
U.S. Customs officials have SCREW EYES when they SCRUTINIZE baggage.

Newspaper proof readers SCRUTINIZE an entire newspaper each day.

Each soldier’s uniform is SCRUTINIZED by his commanding officer.

I SCRUTINIZED all the books in the library and found several I had wanted.

Final Examination Speech Downloadable Tools

TOOLS TO ASSIST YOU IN YOUR WORK'S CITED PAGE

It is my advice to you that you create your work's cited page as you do your research. It will be easier to complete, it will provide you with a reference to the sources that you have used and it will be completed when you're finished researching your topic.

Hints:

(1) When you copy each entry into Word, make sure that you copy the entry in the gray box, not the copy in white below. They are labeled.
(2) Copy the entire entry, including the period at the end.
(3) When you paste, a small box will appear. Click on it and choose "text only."
(4) Make sure that you indent every line after the first. You have to tab these lines over to make them line up the right way.
(5) Sometimes you have to hit "enter" at the beginning of these lines and then tab over.

CLICK HERE to go directly to the Landmark Project's SON OF CITATION MACHINE. Please choose MLA in the upper left hand corner. Then choose the type of entry that you would like the machine to create.

CLICK HERE to go directly to the SON OF CITATION MACHINGE to create a WORK'S CITED entry for a web page.

PRE-FORMATTED MLA OUTLINE

CLICK HERE for a copy of a pre-formatted MLA Outline for the Persuasive speech.

FINAL EXAMINATION RUBRIC

Final Examination Speech Rubic page 1.doc

Final Examination Speech Rubic page 1.doc

Final Examination Speech Curriculum Draft page 3.doc

Monroe's Motivated Sequence Used to Persuade an Audience

Originally posted 11/14/2007

Monroe's motivated sequence is a technique for organizing persuasive speeches that inspire people to take action. It was developed in the mid-1930s by Alan H. Monroe. It consists of five steps:

Attention--Accomplished in the Introduction
Get the attention of your audience using a detailed story, shocking example, dramatic statistic, quotations, etc.

Need--Prove the Problem!
Show that the problem about which you are speaking exists, that it is significant, and that it won't go away by itself. Use statistics, examples, etc. Convince your audience that there is a need for action to be taken.

Satisfaction--Show What Others Plan on Doing or Have Done.
Show that this need can be satisfied. Provide specific solutions for the problem that the government and community can implement as a whole.

Visualization--Show Us What We Get
Tell the audience what will happen if the solution is implemented or does not take place. Be visual and detailed.

Action--Accomplished in the Clincher
Tell the audience what action they can take personally to solve the problem.
For Instance, a more generalized format may be;

Monroe’s Motivation Sequence

1. Attention: Hey! Listen to me, I have a PROBLEM!
2. Need: Let me EXPLAIN the problem.
3. Satisfaction: But, I have a SOLUTION!
4. Visualization: If we IMPLEMENT my solution, this is what will happen.
5. Action: You can help me in this specific way. Are YOU willing to help me?


The advantage of Motivated Sequence is that it emphasizes what the audience can do. Too often the audience feels like a situation is hopeless; Monroe's motivated sequence emphasizes the action the audience can take.

Persuasive Speech Ideas

Persuasive speech ideas, a list of 200+ ideas. I also help you to make a choice by finding specific angles of approach. Review the list of speech topics and ideas below. Make a personal short list by selecting three persuasive speech topics you perhaps could use. For now just make a rough inventory. Tickle your imagination, associate and be creative.

# Which of the speech topics are you interested in?
# Do you know something about?
# Would you like to research and persuade your audience about?

These speech topics can be turned into persuasive speech ideas for a public speaking topics assignment. Of course this persuasive speech topic list isn't exhaustive.

25 Free Persuasive Speech Topics

These free persuasive speech topics are for instant use or vary on them and write your own persuasion statement for public speaking or speech class purposes. Start with this sentence I want to persuade the audience that ... and than take one of the speech topics of my general list of persuasive speech sample topics, or select one out of the following 25 pre-fab instant free persuasive speech topics for public speaking:


1. The government should be persuaded to pay for all healthcare. By the way you can fill in other verbs and nouns in most of the free persuasive speech topics in this list. Just tweak.
2. Teachers are not safe in schools.
3. We are better off today than we were eight years ago.
4. We are killing the rainforest.
5. Children in ... fill in the nation of your choice ... are living better.
6. Continue the war on drugs by attacking the ingredients needed.
7. DNA databases jeopardize our privacy.
8. Vanity is not a valid reason for cosmetic plastic surgery.
9. The rich pay, don't pay enough taxes.
10. Return extra taxes collected to those who paid.
11. All MP3 music belong in the free public domain.
12. Needle exchange programs help to prevent.
13. Mothers should be persuaded to avoid fighting in militairy combat front lines.
14. Free speech don't include, include hate speech.
15. Spam e-mails should be, should not be outlawed.
16. We need a single food safety agency. Remember, replace the nouns and you can write easily other free persuasive speech topics.
17. Downloading copyrighted MP3s is not, is wrong.
18. Gay couples should be, should not be allowed to marry.
19. Higher energy prices is a sacrifice we have to make for cleaner fuels.
20. Home schooling provides a better education, is worse for your child.
21. Honesty, integrity and a persuasive mentality are the most important qualities of an elected official. Or vary on the qualities and create your own free persuasive speech topics on gouvernement, state or local politicians.
22. Zero tolerance is a useful instrument to prevent violence.
23. Babysitters younger than 16 years should be forbidden.
24. Human cloning is bad, is good.
25. Restrict every household to 60 gallon can on trash a week.

All persuasive speech topic statements above are not reflecting my personal opinion! These just are samples of free persuasive speech topics.

30+ Instant Persuasive Speech Topics for Free

Persuasive speech topics for free, this is a list with instant persuasive speech topic ideas for public speaking speech assignments. Example persuasive speech topics for free on various society issues:

1. Gay marriage should be an issue for the states
2. Flag burning should be prohibited.
3. Military service should be based on conduct, not sexual orientation.
4. Education, housing, and hiring must be equal for all.
5. The Ten Commandments are inherent values in schools.
6. The Patriot Act violates civil liberties.
7. The 1st Amendment is not a shield for hate groups.
8. Support affirmative action in governmental organisations.
9. Limiting immigration is limiting opportunities.
10. The police always should investigate all complaints of wife assault.
11. The amount of spam you see in your mailbox is just the tip of the iceberg.
12. Ban same-sex marriages.
13. Academic dishonesty should always be santioned by termination of student status for a specified term.
14. Wildcat strikes should be legalized.
15. What you need to know to prevent serious complications with body piercings.
16. Only buy energy efficient household appliances.
17. Outsourcing is a good solution for small business owners.
18. Every citizen should commit to 2,000 hours of voluntary national service in lifetime.

Persuasive speech topics for free on foreign policy and international issues:

1. No-fly lists of airliners do have a lack of accuracy.
2. Mankind is responsible for the large loss of biodiversity.
3. We need an international forestry agency.
4. Water is a hot issue in the Middle East.
5. An international certification system for diamond exploration prevents conflict-diamonds trade.
6. Never negotiate with terrorists.
7. Water saving methods work in several regions of Africa.
8. Russia is a growing threath.
9. Jerusalem must remain an undivided city.
10. America should stop being the world's policeman.
11. We need a Marshall Plan for Afghanistan.
12. The civil rights movement is a success.
13. Keep talking to the North Koreans.

List of 200+ Persuasive Speech Ideas

Find a persuasive speech topic idea with a specific point of view.

Abortion
Abuse Of The Elderly
Abused Women
Academic Dishonesty
Academic Freedom
Acid Rain
Addiction
Adoption
Affirmative Action
Afghanistan
Africa
Age Discrimination
Aging Population
Agricultural Policy
AIDS/HIV
Air Pollution
Airline Safety
Alcohol Abuse
Aliens and UFO's
Alternative imprisonment
Alternative Medicine
American Education Reform
Amnesty
Animal Experimentation
Animal Rights
Animal Welfare
Anorexia Nervosa
Anti-Semitism
Arab-Israeli Conflict
Armed Conflicts
Arms Control
Arms Trade
Asylum
Atomic Energy
Ballot Initiatives
Battered Women
Beginning of Life Issues
Bermuda Triangle
Bigamy
Bilingual Education
Biodiversity
Biological and Chemical Weapons
Bird Flu
Birth Control
Body Piercings
Breast Feeding in Public
Bulimia
Cameras in Courtrooms
Campaign Finance Reform
Capital Punishment
Censor Hate Speech
Censorship
Chain Gangs
Child Labor
Church State Issues
City Curfews Civil Rights
Climate Change Policy
Condoms In Schools
Creationism vs. Evolution
Cuba
Dating Campus Issues
Death Penalty
Depression
Dieting
Disabilities Act
Domestic Violence Drug Policy
Drunk Driving
Endangered Oceans
Endangered Species
Espionage and Intelligence Gathering
Ethnic Violence
Euthenasia
Family Violence
Fat Tax On Food
Feminism
Foreign Oil Dependence
Foreign Policy
Foster Care
Fraud
Gambling
Gangs
Gay Marriage
Gay Rights
Genetic Engineering
Genetically Engineered Foods
Genocide
Global Resources
Global Warming
Government Fraud and Waste
Gun Control
Hate Crime
Health Care Policy
Home Schooling
Homeland Security
Homeless in America
Human Cloning
Immigration
Infectious Diseases
Inner City Poverty
Internet Chatrooms
Iraq
Islamic Fundamentalism
Juvenile Crime
Language Policy
Legal System
Littering
Marriage and Divorce
Media Violence
Medical Ethics
Medicinal Marijuana
Medicine Abuse
Minimum Wage
Missile Defense System
National Tobacco Settlement
Nonproliferation
Nuclear Technology
Organ Donation
Organized Crime
Peace
Physician-Assisted Suicide
Polygamy
Pornography
Poverty
Prison regime
Race Relations
Racial Profiling
Rain Forests
Recycling
Religious Right
Reproductive Technologies
Russia
School Uniforms
School Violence
Sex Education
Single Parent Families
Smoking
Social Security Reform
Social Welfare
Space Exploration
Stadium Taxes
Stem Cell Research
Tax Reform
Teen Pregnancy
Term Limits
Terrorism
Tobacco Industry
Trade with China
Transportation
US Budget
US War on Drugs
Urban Terrorism
Vaccinations
Violent Video Games
Voluntary National Testing
War Crimes
War On Drugs
Water Resources
Weapons Disarmament
Welfare Reform
Women in the Military
Women's Rights
Working Women
World Trade

Narrow Down 3 Persuasive Speech Ideas

Review your short list with persuasive speech ideas and narrow your choices:

* Do you know global, national, state, community, job or school related problems and solutions, issues or controversies, related to the persuasive speech ideas?
* Historical or current events, places, processes, organizations or interesting people?
* Concerns, opinions, beliefs, attitudes or values?
* What did you see about the persuasive speech ideas in the news or read in books?
* Is there a link with personal experiences, professional or personal goals?

The answers help you to find your angle of approach for a persuasive speech. So, select a few specific angles. Those can serve as main points of the persuasive speech ideas.

Julius Caesar Reading Discussion Questions

Shakespeare's Julius Caesar Study Guide
Discussion Questions

Directions: After reading each act out loud in class, the following questions will be discussed/answered in small groups in class. Each student must write the answers to the following questions in complete sentences on a separate sheet of paper. All answers should be numbered and headed with the proper act and scene numbers! Most responses will require several sentences in order to be answered completely. Be sure to rephrase the question in your answer.

Act I, Scene 1

1. What is the situation at the beginning of the play?
2. Identify Flavius and Marullus. What are they doing?
3. What is Lupercal?

Act I, Scene 2

4. What warning is given to Caesar? By whom? How does he react?
5. What are the two incidents Cassius tells to Brutus? What is his purpose in telling them?
6. What kind of person does Brutus seem to be? Cassius?
7. What is Caesar's opinion of Antony? of Cassius?
8. What is the report given by Casca?
9. How does Cassius feel about his talk with Brutus?

Act I, Scene 3
10. What is the effect of the storm? It's purpose?11. How does Cassius say he can escape tyranny?12. What is the next step in convincing Brutus?

Act II, Scene 1

1. Explain Brutus' speech that begins: “It must be by his death…”
2. Why do the conspirators want Cicero and then leave him out?
3. Why won't Brutus take an oath?
4. Why does he oppose the assassination of Antony?
5. How has Caesar changed?6. What are some of Portia's characteristics?

Act II, Scene 2

7. Describe the night.
8. What has Caesar decided to do when Decius comes? What reason does he give?
9. Why does he change his mind?
10. What are the two interpretations of the dream?

Act III, Scene 1

1. What was each of the following characters to do at the capitol: Trebonious, Cimber, Casca, Brutus?
2. How do the conspirators react to the assassination?
3. How can you prove the dream was fulfilled?
4. What prophecy is made?
5. What message does Antony's servant bring?
6. What does Antony ask of the conspirators if they plan to kill him?
7. Of what do they assure him?
8. Who doubts the wisdom of answering Antony's request?
9. Summarize Antony’s soliloquy.

Act III, Scene 2

10. How does Brutus justify Caesar's murder when he speaks to the people?
11. How is the point proven to the people?
12. How does Antony arouse the people to mutiny?
13. How does Antony show he understands the people better than Brutus?
14. What three examples does Antony give to prove that Caesar was not ambitious?
15. What are the provisions of Caesar's will?
16. Who is prepared to take control of the government of Rome now?

Act IV, Scene 1

1. What is the Second Triumvirate? Who composes it?
2. What is the new triumvirate planning to do?

Act IV, Scene 2

3. Where are Brutus and Cassius?

Act IV, Scene 3

4. Who quarrels? Why?
5. What does Brutus think of himself?
6. Why does Cassius say he is aweary of the world?
7. What alibi does Cassius use?
8. What news do we hear of Portia? What is Brutus' reaction?
9. Give the arguments pro and con for marching to Philippi. Why does Cassius think the army should be held at Sardis? Why does Brutus think they should march?
10. Why does Caesar's ghost appear to Brutus? What does it say to Brutus?

Act V, Scene 1

1. Where does the scene take place?
2. What do Brutus and Cassius do?

Act V, Scene 3

3. How does Cassius die?
4. How does Pindarus earn his freedom?
5. What happens to Titinius?

Act V, Scene 4

6. How does Brutus die?
7. What do Antony and Octavius say about Brutus?
8. Who wins and becomes ruler of Rome?