Mulhern's English Site

New data shows studying for the SAT for 20 hours on free Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy is associated with an average score gain of 115 points, nearly double the average score gain compared to students who don’t use Khan Academy. Out of nearly 250,000 test-takers studied, more than 16,000 gained 200 points or more between the PSAT/NMSQT and SAT.

Copy the following terms and definitions--               alliteration--repetition of same consonant sound beginning a          sentence or phrase

Objectives: Improve application, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis skills. Recognize rhetorical techniques and their effects. Develop argumentation skills through the study of models. Recognize differences in language and style over time. Discover common themes/ideas/subjects in presidential rhetoric. Learn American history through presidential biography and oratory. Improve speaking, listening, writing, and presentation skills. Reflection Activity: Explain what you have learned about the power of persuasive writing, rhetorical techniques, and the similarities and differences among the speeches we have read.  Why is presidential rhetoric so important, especially today? What have you learned about American ideals through your engagement with the literature? How have those values changed and/or remained the same over time? What techniques can you use to improve your own  writing?

Symphony No. 1--The Transcendental, Richard Pousette-Dart (1942) Scholars: Copy and paste the following post into a Word document; then place it in your binder. You may also handwrite if you prefer.

St. John's Church, Richmond Virginia--Site of Patrick Henry's Famous Speech-- March 23, 1775 at the Second Virginia Provincial Convention. 122 delegates were present from the colonies.  Speech in the Virginia Convention Assignment Read the selection carefully. Take copious notes. Look up the definitions of words that you do not know.

Due April 17, 2018 Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example, names of places or allusions to famous things); nevertheless, you should know them.  Look up the definitions and parts of speech  of each word. Write both in your notebook. ( You must handwrite this assignment;  not type, or cut and paste). 

Answer the following. Your response should be at least three paragraphs (a cohesive, fluid short essay). List and explain the main ideas of the Enlightenment. How does the Declaration of Independence reflect Enlightenment ideas? Why are Enlightenment values so important today?

Persuasive Techniques (Martin Luther King, President Obama, Patrick Henry, Jonathan Edwards, and other great orators) The following persuasive techniques are some ways, among many, that writers and speakers effectively persuade their audiences.  Of course, not every technique is used by each speaker; and there are also additional techniques that you will learn about as we read more literature.

  Argumentative Essay Rubric Your essay should have a strong definitive thesis statement. Your essay should have at least five excellent examples to support your argument.

Inquisition Scene, Francisco Goya (1812-1819) Due February 21, 2018 Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example, names of places or allusions to famous things); nevertheless, you should know them. 

Create a poem using the following words:

Due February 13, 2018 Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example, names of places or allusions to famous things); nevertheless, you should know them.  Look up the  definitions  and  parts of speech  of each word. Write both in your notebook. ( You must handwrite this assignment;  not type, or cut and paste).  For each of the words, find an excellent context sentence by googling the Internet (always cite your source within parentheses after the sentence--the name of the website). 

ENC 1101--due February 2nd. Late papers not accepted. Write a personal narrative about an event or events that helped establish your sense of individuality (be specific), character, values, personality traits, choice of career, or life philosophy (attitudes/ideas about how to conduct oneself in a meaningful way). Your essay should be typed, MLA format, 12-point Times Roman font, one-inch margins, with a proper heading, header, and title, double-spaced. Minimum two typed pages to the very bottom. This essay is helpful for college essays, scholarship essays, even interviews for jobs. Recounting and reflecting on important aspects of your character and life experience prepare you for future endeavors.

The Puritans had a vision of the world quite different from our contemporary point of view. Like people from different times and places, their notions about others, in particular, the indigenous people of the "New World" revealed bias. In addition, their religious attitudes affected their perception of reality. Write an essay in which you first discuss (briefly) Bradford's reasons for writing "Plymouth Plantation." Then analyze his essay to point out bias and prejudice. Also explain instances of how his religious point of view affected his perception of the world. How did the Puritan religion affect the people's emotion and logic? Cite textual evidence to support your arguments.

Due January 30, 2018 Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example, names of places or allusions to famous things); nevertheless, you should know them.  Look up the  definitions and parts of speech of each word. Write both in your notebook. ( You must handwrite this assignment;  not type, or cut and paste).  For each of the words, find an excellent context sentence by googling the Internet (always cite your source within parentheses after the sentence--the name of the website).