Create a short story based on the 7 point short story structure.  Begin by filling out #1-7.  Then begin writing your story.  Assignment Twist: story must include the line, "...but if anyone asks, tell them we're  fine."  Underline this line in the story.  Story should be a minimum of one full page not including the 7 point story structure.  Have fun with this. Think beyond what is typical and ordinary.

Directions: Select the boldface word that better completes each sentence.  You might refer to your Reading 4 to see how most of these words are used in context. Number your paper 1-25 and write only the word.

​1. Scientists have concluded that a sudden catastrophe (expunged, converged) dinosaurs from the face of the earth.
​2. Instead of blaming a (malevolent, invulnerable) fate for your failures, why not look for the causes within yourself?
​3. The critic recognized the book's faults but dismissed them as (uncanny, venial) in view of the author's overall achievement.
​4. Instead of making an informed guess, why not (ascertain, esteem) exactly how many students are going on the trip to Washington?
5. Though the journey seemed interminable, I knew that it was (cogent, finite) and that I would soon be home.
​6. When I splattered paint on my art teacher, I tried to appear (nonchalant, malevolent) but succeeded only in looking horrified.
7. Vast wealth, elegant clothes, and a (finite, supercilious) manner may make a snob, but they do no of themselves make a person a true gentleman or lady.
​8. At first, the two candidates were n disagreement on every issue, but as the campaign went on, their opinions seemed to (dispersed, converge).
​9. When I found myself flushed with anger, I realized that I was not so (scrupulous, invulnerable) to their bitter sarcasm as I had thought I was!
​10. Her bright, optimistic manner did much to (ascertain, disperse) the atmosphere of gloom that had settled over the meeting.
​11. Lincoln said, "If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and (esteem, attainment)."
​12. Though you forgot my birthday, and I did not receive a gift or card, it was a (venial, scrupulous) mistake and I shall forgive you. 
​13. When I walked into the abandoned house, I had this (malevolent, uncanny) feeling that someone was watching me. 
​14. Though the couple have spent years studying African history, they do not claim to be (omniscient, cogent) in that field. 
​15. We were overjoyed when we heard our university was going to invite an (invulnerable, esteemed) author and playwright to speak at our commencement.
​16. It seemed unimaginable that when I look at the night sky, the number of stars is actually (finite, omniscient).
​17. There are so many different factors involved in an energy crisis that no single measure can be expected to serve as a(n) (panacea, attainment). 
​18. Nothing he may (expunge, bequeath) to the next generation can be more precious than the memory of his long life of honorable public service.
19. She is the kind of person who has many (attainments, panaceas) but seems unable to put them to any practical use.
​20. The newspaper revealed that the city's chief building inspector was (omniscient, affiliated) with a large construction company. 
​21. Is it true that some dogs have a(n) (uncanny, nonchalant) sense of the approach of death?
​22. I found your criticism of my conduct unpleasant, but I had to admit that our remarks were (venial, cogent).
​23. The reform candidate vowed to root out the corruption that (skulked, bequeathed) through the corridors of City Hall.
​24. As a member of the grand jury, it is your duty to be (scrupulous, supercilious) in weighing every bit of evidence.
​25. A large crowd (ascertained, converged) on the mall to buy the latest gadget. 

​Synonyms: Choose the word from this unit that is the same or most nearly the same in meaning as the boldface word or expression in the phrase. Number your paper 1-10 and write only the word.
​1. no easy solution for the problems of aging
​2. an eerie tale of the supernatural
3. must determine who is responsible
​4. crept around in the shadows of the old warehouse
​5. handed down their knowledge to their apprentices
​6. the realization of a cherished dream
7. a quantifiable amount of rainfall
8. an indifferent shrug of the shoulders
9. resistant to normal wear and tear
​10. needed to delete out-of-date files

​Antonyms: Choose the word from this unit that is most or nearly opposite in meaning to the boldface word or expression in the phrase. Write that word on the line.  Use a dictionary if necessary. Number your paper 1-5 and write only the response.
1. a fretful attitude
​2. an endless supply of fresh water
3. an attempt to create a financial file
4. sought comfort in her affliction
​5. a cat that sped across the lawn

​Completing the sentence: From the words in this unit, choose the one that best completes each of the following sentences. Number your paper 1-20 and write only the response.
​1. When the candidate admitted openly that he had been mistaken in some of his earlier policies, we ______________ him more highly than ever.
2. The screening committee investigated not only the candidates themselves but also the organizations with which they were __________________.
​3. So long as we remained indoors, we were _________________ to the arctic blasts that swept down on our snowbound cabin.
​4. Antibiotics were once considered wonder drugs, but we now know that they are not ___________ for all our physical ailments.
​5. I knew the dean would accept my apology when she characterized my behavior as thoughtless but _____________.
6. Her election to Congress was the ________________  of a lifelong ambition.
7. Though I wanted to "let bygones be bygones," I found that I could not wholly _____________ the bitter memory of their behavior from my mind.
8. Before making our final plans, we should ___________ exactly how much money we will have for expenses.
9. Your ability to guess what I am thinking about at any given time is nothing short of _____________.
​10. Because our natural resources are _________________ and by no means inexhaustible, we must learn to conserve them.
​11. In the opening scene of the horror film, a shadowy figure dressed in black _________________ through the graveyard in the moonlight.
12. The more knowledge and wisdom people acquire, the more keenly they become aware that no one is ________________.
​13. Is there anyone in the world as __________________ as a senior who attends a mere sophomore class dance?
​14. Only by paying ____________________ attention to innumerable details were the investigators able to piece together the cause of the accident.
15. In a situation that would have left me all but helpless with embarrassment, he remained cool and ___________________.
​16. Isn't it remarkable how quickly a throng of sunbathers will pick up their belongings and ________________ when a few drops of rain fall?
17. If only parents could _________________ their hard-won practical wisdom and experience to their children!
​18. When I saw the pain he caused others and the pleasure he took in doing so, I realized he was a truly _____________________ person.
​19. Our representative offered one simple but ____________ argument against the proposal: It would raise the cost of living.
​20. As we stood on the railway tracks looking off into the distance, the rails seemed to ______________ and meet at some far-off point.
​

Students - your assignments will be due when I return so please hold onto them.  
Reminder of what will be due.
​1.Flash Cards Greek 5 (should have been turned in Tuesday)  Greek Final moved from Friday to next Tuesday.  We will review on Monday with Greek Survivor.
​2. Academic Vocabulary Unit 4, 10-20.  Word-Definition 2 antonyms 2 synonyms (spelling counts)
​3. Fill-in the blank Unit 4 (Below)- do during 7:45-8:30am class & AR test !!!!
​4. Writing Words in Action Essay- Wednesday Literature Class.
​Thursday & Friday assignments will be posted here accordingly.  Behave yourself and work hard in class so you will not have too much homework.  Do not procrastinate!    

​Writing: Words in Action
​Suppose you would like financial support for an intellectual, artistic, or social endeavor.  Perhaps you'd like to design a community center, compose music, start a company, create a new computer application, or write and direct a film.  Write a letter of proposal to a prospective patron, attempting to persuade him or her to support the project you have in mind.  Present specific and convincing examples from the Vocabulary Reading Unit 4, "Patronage of the Arts: Help or Hindrance?", your own studies, and observations. Write at least three paragraphs with a minimum of 8-12 sentences each. Use 5 words from this vocabulary unit. 

FILL-IN-THE-BLANK
​Directions:  Use your academic vocabulary words from Unit 4 to fill-in the blanks. Number your paper and make sure you spell the words correctly!!

​1. The judge ordered the remarks _________________ from the record.
​2. Being __________________ with a well-known law firm is often an important first step on the way to a successful political career. 
​3. Few people will make enough money in their lifetime to be in a position to _____________________ a fortune to their heirs.
​4. The television coverage resumed as soon as the delegates _______________ on the hall to hear the keynote speaker's address.
​5. When a scuffle broke out, the commissioner ordered the police to __________the crowd.
​6. We need to __________________ what it will cost to remodel our kitchen.
​7. A group of legal scholars held a press conference to present a(n) _____________plea for reform of the state's prison system.
​8. The elegantly dressed couple strolled down the boulevard with a(n) _________________ air.
​9. In addition to his abilities as a leader, Abraham Lincoln was a man of high literary _____________.
​10. Their ___________________ attitude toward their servants was extremely offensive.
​11.  Someone whose offense is deemed by the judge to be ________________ may be ordered to perform community service.
​12.  Scientists are trained to record their observations with _________________ accuracy.
​13. Scientists today have so much specialized knowledge that they sometimes seem ____________.
​14. Medieval lords did everything possible to make their castles ___________________ fortresses.
​15.There are only a(n) __________________ number of possible answers to a multiple-choice question.
​16.While pretending to be a loyal friend, Iago told Othello ____________________ lies.
​17 In many of the world's cultures, young people are taught to _____________their ancestors. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court should be someone whom all parties hold in high ______________________.
​18. You are mistaken if you think that getting more money will be a(n) ______________________ for all your troubles.
​19. It is highly unusual for a beginner to display such a(n) __________________skill at playing bridge.
​20. The burglar ___________________in the alley looking for a way to get into the darkened jewelry store without attracting the attention of anyone who might be nearby.

1. What does it mean for an essay to have good substance?
2. What does it mean for and essay to have good organization?
3. What does it mean for an essay to be clear?
4. What does it mean for an essay to have an effective and interesting style?
5. How long should your SAT essay be?
​

The following Prompt is a 2017 sample prompt taken for SAT practice.
 https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sample-questions/essay/1 
collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sample-questions/essay/1

Prompt
As you read the passage below, consider how Paul Bogard uses

• evidence, such as facts or examples, to support claims.
• reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence.
• stylistic or persuasive elements, such as word choice or appeals to emotion, to add power to the ideas expressed.

Adapted from Paul Bogard, “Let There Be Dark.” ©2012 by Los Angeles Times. Originally published December 21, 2012.
At my family’s cabin on a Minnesota lake, I knew woods so dark that my hands disappeared before my eyes. I knew night skies in which meteors left smoky trails across sugary spreads of stars. But now, when 8 of 10 children born in the United States will never know a sky dark enough for the Milky Way, I worry we are rapidly losing night’s natural darkness before realizing its worth. This winter solstice, as we cheer the days’ gradual movement back toward light, let us also remember the irreplaceable value of darkness.
All life evolved to the steady rhythm of bright days and dark nights. Today, though, when we feel the closeness of nightfall, we reach quickly for a light switch. And too little darkness, meaning too much artificial light at night, spells trouble for all.
Already the World Health Organization classifies working the night shift as a probable human carcinogen, and the American Medical Association has voiced its unanimous support for “light pollution reduction efforts and glare reduction efforts at both the national and state levels.” Our bodies need darkness to produce the hormone melatonin, which keeps certain cancers from developing, and our bodies need darkness for sleep. Sleep disorders have been linked to diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and depression, and recent research suggests one main cause of “short sleep” is “long light.” Whether we work at night or simply take our tablets, notebooks and smartphones to bed, there isn’t a place for this much artificial light in our lives.
The rest of the world depends on darkness as well, including nocturnal and crepuscular species of birds, insects, mammals, fish and reptiles. Some examples are well known—the 400 species of birds that migrate at night in North America, the sea turtles that come ashore to lay their eggs—and some are not, such as the bats that save American farmers billions in pest control and the moths that pollinate 80% of the world’s flora. Ecological light pollution is like the bulldozer of the night, wrecking habitat and disrupting ecosystems several billion years in the making. Simply put, without darkness, Earth’s ecology would collapse....
In today’s crowded, louder, more fast-paced world, night’s darkness can provide solitude, quiet and stillness, qualities increasingly in short supply. Every religious tradition has considered darkness invaluable for a soulful life, and the chance to witness the universe has inspired artists, philosophers and everyday stargazers since time began. In a world awash with electric light...how would Van Gogh have given the world his “Starry Night”? Who knows what this vision of the night sky might inspire in each of us, in our children or grandchildren?
Yet all over the world, our nights are growing brighter. In the United States and Western Europe, the amount of light in the sky increases an average of about 6% every year. Computer images of the United States at night, based on NASA photographs, show that what was a very dark country as recently as the 1950s is now nearly covered with a blanket of light. Much of this light is wasted energy, which means wasted dollars. Those of us over 35 are perhaps among the last generation to have known truly dark nights. Even the northern lake where I was lucky to spend my summers has seen its darkness diminish. 
It doesn’t have to be this way. Light pollution is readily within our ability to solve, using new lighting technologies and shielding existing lights. Already, many cities and towns across North America and Europe are changing to LED streetlights, which offer dramatic possibilities for controlling wasted light. Other communities are finding success with simply turning off portions of their public lighting after midnight. Even Paris, the famed “city of light,” which already turns off its monument lighting after 1 a.m., will this summer start to require its shops, offices and public buildings to turn off lights after 2 a.m. Though primarily designed to save energy, such reductions in light will also go far in addressing light pollution. But we will never truly address the problem of light pollution until we become aware of the irreplaceable value and beauty of the darkness we are losing.

Write an essay in which you explain how Paul Bogard builds an argument to persuade his audience that natural darkness should be preserved. In your essay, analyze how Bogard uses one or more of the features in the directions that precede the passage (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of his argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage.
Your essay should not explain whether you agree with Bogard’s claims, but rather explain how Bogard builds an argument to persuade his audience.


For this  type of prompt you would only be given 50 minutes to complete.  However, you will be given a full class period, time at home, time during college prep, and time in class on Thursday to complete it.  Take your time.  Read, reread, and read again.  Search for the evidence of the bullet points to aid you in your analysis.  Take notes!!!  Organize your work!!!   Read some of the samples.  Use details from the text.  Be explicitly clear in your writing.  Then go back and check your language skills and mechanics.

Creative Writing exercise.  Keep in first person. Think outside the box. Have fun with it.  Do on separate sheet of paper.  

" I mean only that my life is not typical.  Peculiar things happen to me that don't happen to other people with regularity, if ever.  For example, I would never have..."                               Odd Thomas by D. Koontz

Do you agree with the following statement?  Texting has destroyed communication among friends and family.  Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

There...there... he could almost reach it.  He had searched for such a long time.  There it was almost within his grasp.  He stretched out to...