The the Paper (an assignment of constraint)

Your first assignment is: Write about what you did this morning (or most mornings) without using the definite article, namely, without using the word “the.” No length limit, but write at least two paragraphs.

I, Me, In (an assignment of inclusion)

Your second assignment is: Write at least two paragraphs, being sure to use the words “I,” “me,” and “in.” (Also: Try to be aware of how often you use the word “in” during the day/an average day and make a note of the number of times.

Homework in your textbook, Ten Steps to Advancing College Reading Skills, by John Langan:

For July 11: Read the Introduction to the book, paying attention to page 9 “Some Quick Study Tips” and begin working, completing pages 17 through 30.

For July 12: Usage assignment: Use your personally assigned word over the next few days in normal conversation. Make note of the word in your small notebook — and people’s reactions. For your textbook assignment: please complete the rest of the chapter, pages 31 through 42. (Be prepared to take the Mastery Tests on pages 47 through 54 in class tomorrow.) For your writing assignment: describe the “idiosyncracies” of some family member(s) or friend(s). (Two paragraph minimum length.)

For July 13: In your textbook: Take the remaining Mastery Tests in Chapter 1 (pages 47 through 54). Complete the writing practice (“Practice 2”) on page 59.

For July 14: In your textbook, read starting from page 55 (“Main Ideas”) and complete Practices 1 through 7 (pages 58 through 66–you should already have completed Practice 2). In your Workbook, complete Chapter 13 (starts on page 76).

For July 18: In your Vocabulary Workbook, complete Chapter 9. Writing: use “emancipate” and “antipathy” in a sentence (you may use more than one sentence if you need to in order to convey the word’s meaning). Take the Tutorial for the CUNY Reading ACT. (It can be found here; there are also resources on our website under “Practice Tests and Syllabus.”) Please keep track along the way of those areas where you had difficulty. According to the prompt, this should take at least 30 minutes.

For July 19: In your textbook, complete the rest of Chapter 2 up until the tests (green banded pages) and in your Vocabulary Workbook complete Chapter 7 (unless you have Edition 4, in which case you complete Chapter 1). Write sentences using any two words of your choice from Chapter 9 (unless you scored 2/2 on the Practical Reading Test, in which case you must write out for us whatever strategies you used to get a perfect score — be honest!).

For July 20: In your Vocabulary Workbook, complete Chapter 2. Read the “Humpty Dumpty” handout alongside “Jabberwocky,” and highlight where Humpty Dumpty shows Alice how a new word (nonsense word) is created. Next: create your own portmanteau (compound/suitcase) word and use it in a paragraph.

For July 21: Write a minimum of two paragraphs using at least three words created today by your fellow students. The words are: lalk, nanks, smog, wava, sleetired, treepy, shankyou!, slingy, chillax, longway, Funday. (Note: “Funday” is capitalized.) Begin creating two test questions that each utilize a vocabulary word of your choice in context. (Check in with the teacher on your progress tomorrow, test questions due Monday.) Remember to know the word’s antonyms and synonyms when formulating your question.

For July 22: Complete Chapters 3 and 4 in your Vocabulary Workbook. Continue to work on the two test questions you are creating. Hand them in on Monday.

For July 26: Read and complete the work in your textbook Chapter 4 “Implied Main Ideas” (beginning page 145) until page 156. Type up (and revise, if necessary) your two test questions to hand in for Wednesday). Come in prepared to read your new story.

For July 27: Finish typing your test questions and hand them in tomorrow. Complete the rest of Chapter 4 in your textbook (until page 172).

For July 28: In you textbook, take Mastery Tests 2 and 3 in Chapter 4 (pp. 177 through 179).

For Aug 1: In your textbook, take Mastery Tests 4 through 6 (pp. 179 through 183); also, in Chapter 8, skip ahead and read, and complete the work on pp. 338 through 346. Writing assignment: write a three-line poem with syllables 4, 6, 4 on the topic of summer. On your own time: Do exercises on Lumosity.com. (Here is our class link.) Our login is: sschmerler; our password is: qwertyuiop. (You can also make your own personal account.)

For Aug 2: Fix up your first two test questions and send to Professor. Create two more test questions. Read those practice tests and exercises you recently completed in your textbook — and got wrong — and do all you can to figure out why or how (look up words in dictionary, re-read with new logic, etc.).

For Aug 3: Spend 20 minutes doing practice tests from this website link. Pick the sections with which you feel you need the most work.

For Aug 8: Write your story with the new assigned noun, using at least one verb from another person in your group. Complete Chapters 5 and 6 in your textbook.

For Aug 9: Please print out your stories. Do the “Check Your Performance” (grade yourselves) For Chapters 5 and 6. (You can then enter your Total Scores in the appropriate boxes on the inside back cover of the textbook.) Write an objective description following the same instructions given in class for another object — taken your room, life, etc. — of your choice. No length requirement.

For Aug 10: Complete Chapter 7 in your textbook. Add up your scores on the exercises and mark them down. Continue to work on your objective description exercise if your description still needs work.

Aug 11: Write a paragraph in a subjective manner about any object. Write another objective description of any object. Read and complete Chapter 9 in your textbook, up to the end of Practice 2 (p. 379).

Aug 15: Write all the facts you possibly can remember about one person in your own group, as well as about one person who was not in your group, based on the Interview information you heard in class. You can also add some observations and opinions to this description, once you have gotten through the facts. Complete as much as you wish of Chapter 10 in your textbook and we will go over your answers in class. Complete any two chapters of your choice in your Vocabulary Workbook.

Aug 16: Come to G206 and take the test! Arrive at least 15 minutes early — so come by 9:15AM to sit for the test at 9:30AM. To prepare, you can do some test tutorials (see link under Aug 3 Assignment for some good ones),  or maybe watch Ip Man. Get a good night’s sleep. Be a warrior. : )