Exam Style 15.1

     The language change in English overtime can be seen within the contents of texts A,B, and C. Text A is an extract from the 1832. It is a letter addressed to the writer's nephew. The word choice and sentence structure make the text unique from modern day English language. Text B is a chart of words that were popular from 1980-1993 in the British National Corpus. Text C is an n-gram of the phrases "are likely to be", "are apt to be", and "tend to be". 

    The n-gram that is provided in Text C shows three phrases that are popular in English language. The phrase "are apt to be" hasn't been used in language that much compared to the other phrases. The usage of this phrase came in the 1900-1980. This shows a change in language overtime as the phrase "are apt to be" isn't used in modern English. While phrases like "tend to be" and "are likely to be" are replacements a that are used more often in modern English. Text A uses the phrase "are apt to be", showing a change in language overtime and what phrases were used in 1832. 

    The sentence structure in Text A also provides evidence on a language change in English. The sentence structure includes many commas and longer sentences. The sentences usually contain a couple segments in each that are separated by commas.  In some cases, the comma isn't needed grammatically but represents a pause in conversation. For example, in Text A it states "Lively anecdotes, or short narratives, told with spirit, are among the most amusing ingredients in conversation: but even with them, if you often meet the same company, there is considerable danger of falling into repetition". The example shows multiple points in the sentence where there a pauses or commas. Many of the commas that the author inputs in the sentence are not need, such as the commas after "anecdotes" and "company". Many of the commas used in literature back when this extract was written were for pausing purposes or showing a break in the speech. This gives a more personal effect for the reader. The audience reads the letter as if it were spoken out loud. The modern English language does the same, but doesn't include an abundance of commas as extracts like Text A provide. 

  

Paper 2 Section B

    I am a new student in this charter school located on Marco Island, Florida. It is a smaller school, with approximately 300 students. I heard the old school was in trailers, as the building is fresh and brand new. I'm grateful that I got here when I did as I would not have wanted to go to school in a bunch of trailers. The school gives off a jolly look as it is colorful and smaller than the usual school building. The school almost resembles an aquarium with the ocean theme and the manta rays, which is the mascot, located everywhere. I was a little nervous at first as the scenery was completely new and nothing like I had ever seen before.
    
    I walk in through the front door, which is activated by a keycard. The faculty give out keycards to each student so they can access all the doors. I thought that the school was high-tech at first whenever I received the keycard, but that seems to be the only technological aspect worth mentioning within the school. There are 3D printers, but they are almost never in use. After I walk through the door, I am greeted by the dean, Mr. Ray. The dean is a very nice person who lights up a room whenever he enters one. It is clear that everyone in the school, staff and students, treats him with respect. Mr. Ray introduces me to the principal, Ms. Scott. She is a kind person who treats the students as kids of her own. It is clear that she loves her job. I get a good impression from the school based on the principal and dean, which are two people that students don’t usually want to speak to on many occasions. The staff as a whole are caring and kind towards the students, or my first impression of them is.

    After I my pleasant introductions with the staff, I get to tour my classes. I chose mainly honors classes to get a diploma and scholarship for college. These classes are hard and not very enjoyable, but they get me where I want to go. The school offers it, which is another positive aspect of the school. The negative aspects of the school start with the teaching in my opinion. Some teachers just hand out work and expect it to be done with positive inclining results as the semester goes on, but this doesn’t help students grow. In my opinion, the teachers at this school that help the students individually and connect with them on a personal level are the teachers that truly help the students. There are a lot of those at this school as it is a smaller school. But, with the handful that actually help the students, there are a select few that do not execute their job well.

    The security in the school is top notch. Any threat to the school is next to none. This is another positive aspect of the school as I want a school that will protect me and eliminate threats beforec they even become one, which is exactly what Marco Island academy does.

    Overall, the school is excellent for my first impression. Even though it is smaller, it provides the same advantages and social aspects that a bigger, public school offers. I am very happy with my decision to come to Marco Island Academy and I encourage others flood the doors as well.

9.1 Exam Style Question

 (a) 

Welcome New Students!

Here at this school we always do our best in everything we do. The standard for the students here is to always give it your all. Nothing less is expected. But, this school is also all about enjoying your high school experience. As long as you try your best and have fun with it, high school will be a blast!

The Journey Starts Here

Your whole life is ahead of you and it starts here. High school is one of the most important times in almost anybody’s life. The lessons you will learn here will stick with you for the rest of your life. High school is also incredibly important because it sets up your future. Getting good grades and staying out of trouble will set you up for life after this place. It is important to always remember to do the right thing, it will play a magnificent factor in your future. 

Setting an Example

At this point in your life it is important to grow. Instead of maintaining the immaturity of young age, this school will help you become a leader or role model. That is the goal at the end of the day, to become the best person you can be. This school will set that up for you, but the rest is on you. The decisions you make today will determine tomorrow. 

Life After High School

One of the many goals in high school is to graduate. At this school, graduation is guaranteed if the work is put in. Many hours and days of your present life will be taken up by school. But it is important to stay focused on the goal and accomplish it at the end of your high school career. 

Social Aspect 

Friendship and relationships are important to anyone, especially someone growing and maturing such as a high school student. At this school, there are plenty of other individuals to meet. Your social life can flourish here as this school has a reputation for being open-minded and caring for each and every person that walks through the entrance. The standard here is to be kind to everyone, no matter the situation. 

Standard of Kindness

At this school, anything less than kindness and companionship for each other is looked down upon. Every student and staff member is part of a big family here, so we treat everyone as if they were our own family. 

(b) 

The assignment was to create a leaflet for students entering a new high school. Meaning that the linguistic choices within my response would affect the readers. The effect that is supposed to be given to the audience is one of persuasion. While the students are already going to that high school, the persuasion lies with the experience of the high school. The goal is to show how beneficial and satisfactory the school is. The leaflet I wrote is descriptive, meaning that I’m describing a certain person, place, or object. In this case, I’m describing a place, the high school that the new students are attending. I reference the school in only positive ways. For example, I wrote “Your social life can flourish here as this school has a reputation for being open-minded and caring for each and every person that walks through the entrance”. This sentence specifically, shines a light on the culture of the school and how beneficial it is. The words such as “flourish” and “through the entrance” give an effect towards the reader, this effect is one of support as the sentence shows the student that they are supported at this high school. 

Blog Unit 6 Exam Style Question

 The extract from “An American Mosey” by William Least Heat-Moon is taken from a travel book that highlights America’s small towns. The extract that is given is four paragraphs long. Within the four paragraphs, the author is detailing his journey through an American small town. 

The form of a piece of writing is the type of writing it is, such as an essay or an article. The extract that is supplied is from a book, meaning that the form is that of a book. The form is that of a book. The writer uses the form and inputs an informal form of writing instead of a formal one. The writing is informal because of the use of the first person perspective the writer implemented. It is seen throughout the extract where the writer uses the words “my” and “I”, showing the first person format. The effect this has on the reader is that the reader receives more understanding of the main character because the perspective is first person. This is a reason as to why the author uses the first person perspective in their writing. Another reason as to why they implemented the first person perspective is to describe the setting and events as the author sees them or as he wants the reader to see them. 

“An American Mosey” gives off an effect on the audience naturally, as does any writing. The language used in “An American Mosey” by William Least Heat-Moon is applied because the lexical choices of a piece of writing can change the whole meaning of the text. The writing is informal because of the first person perspective, the word choices of “my” and “I” are evidence of the first person perspective. The author, William Least-Heat Moon, uses language that states what is happening in the setting without including descriptive language or an abundance of adjectives. For example, in the second paragraph of the extract the author wrote “My running commentary on why those were necessary ingredients turned a transaction into a conversation leading to details of a recent irruption the Susquehanna made through Lanesboro”. This quote shows the disregard for description words and instead shows the usage of simply explaining the setting or event to the maximum extent. The reason William Least-Heat Moon wrote “An American Mosey” this way is to create the imagery for the audience without causing them to misinterpret the text. If there were adjectives used to describe the setting instead of using straightforward language, subjects could be interpreted differently for the reader rather than the subject that the writer was trying to display. 

The structure of a text is important because the text would be unorganized and won’t flow correctly without proper structure. The structure of “An American Mosey” is chronological. The reason the author, William Least-Heat Moon, input the chronological order into his writing is because it gives the reader the information they need to interpret the story the way the author meant for it to be interpreted. Chronological order is a type of text structure that follows the plot in order of the events or in sequence from first to last. The sentence structure that is seen throughout the extract are compound and complex sentences. The author doesn’t include simple sentences, this could be for an informational purpose as simple sentences can’t include the same amount of information that a complex or compound sentence could include because of the size of each sentence type. 

The structure, form, and language use in any type of writing create an effect for the reader that the writer wants to implement. In the extract from the book “An American Mosey” the structure, form, and language are all inserted into the text by the author in the way that they desire to inform the reader of their travels through small towns in America.

Blog 4.4

  The essay "Shooting the Elephant" by George Orwell is an essay in the first person. The main focus of the excerpt is the shooting of an elephant that took place in front of an audience. The form, structure, and lexical choices that George Orwell inputs into the excerpt creates a problematic and conflicting tone in the story. 

    The author of "Shooting the Elephant", George Orwell, wrote the essay in a chronological or sequential order. This means that the excerpt takes place from which the events occurred, from the first event in the story and the rest are in order until the last event in the story. The author inputs chronological order for the structure of the text because it gives the reader a stable understanding of the text. For example, if George Orwell wrote "Shooting the Elephant" in haphazardly or disorderly then the audience wouldn't be able to fully grasp the text. The excerpt also contains larger paragraphs that tie into each other through the first and last sentences of each paragraph. For example, in the third paragraph the last sentence is "with a crash that seemed to shake the ground even where I lay". The next paragraph begins with "I got up. The Burmans were already racing past me across the mud". This shows the chronological order that George Orwell had inserted and it shows how each paragraph ties into each other. 

    "Shooting the Elephant" is an essay, but the focus is on the segment from the essay by George Orwell. The form of  "Shooting the Elephant" is an essay. An essay is free form by definition, which Orwell uses the free form method with his writing. It is seen within his writing with the sentence structure. The sentence formation is very loose and the sentences are larger than the precedent. The sentences are grouped together using hyphens and commas to add more to each sentence. The writing is also narrative and informal. The author, George Orwell, is explaining the story from his point of view, making the story a narrative piece. The writing is informal, meaning it is written to be more casual. Since formal writing doesn't include the words "I" or "We", the excerpt from "Shooting the Elephant" is informal because of the thorough use of the word "I" as seen in the text. 

    George Orwell has a direct style with his writing. Orwell states what is happening within the story without employing an allusion or any distractions from what is occurring within the story. Orwell also inputs an abundance of adjectives to get the full descriptions of the setting, characters, and events that occur or are identified in "Shooting the Elephant". For example, in paragraph four of the excerpt from "Shooting the Elephant"  it includes "His mouth was wide open- I could see far down into the caverns of pale pink throat", it is seen within the quote from the text that George Orwell includes many adjectives and hyphens in his writing to further advance the plot and describe the setting or events within it. 

Paper 1 Question 1-Matty Graybill

(a)

     Usain Bolt made history on August 16, 2008 with a 9.69 second 100 meter race to win the gold medal for Jamaica. Since then, Usain Bolt has won 8 total gold medals and holds the world record for three events. Usain Bolt was recognized as the fastest man in the world during and after his Olympic career. 

    The atmosphere at the Beijing National Stadium was terrific and enthusiastic before the 100 meter final. All of the athletes were lined up and in their respective positions. The crowd's roar transitioned into a whisper as they waited in anticipation. Then, the gun fired into the sky, setting off a tumultuous rumble in the air and breaking the silence in the crowd. 

    The Trinidad and Tobago sprinter Richard Thompson got a magnificent start to his race, one of the bests that I had ever seen. The other runners, such as Usain Bolt, looked shocked and caught off guard by that start. Usain had gained his stride and before you knew it he was gliding past Richard Thompson. Usain then looks around a second later and notices that he is ahead of the competition and in first place. He then slightly puts his arms up in excitement after realizing he made history.

(b) 

    The extract that I wrote out for Usain Bolt's 100 meter final is mostly informational and sequential after the introductory first paragraph where I was explaining Usain Bolt's accomplishments and his gold medals on August 16, 2008, the day that the autobiography extract is describing. The autobiography extract is also sequential and all about Usain's perspective, rather than the race or Olympics as a whole. The autobiography extract also incorporates onomatopoeia before two of the paragraphs to bring imagery of the blank handgun used to start races as well as the motion Usain did as the race started. Both the extract and my writing are split up by paragraphs, but Usain's autobiography includes sentences as paragraphs instead of multiple sentences. This could be for emotional effect, a way to express his thought process during the race. The autobiography extract is more detailed in the specific event that is being described than my newspaper report. My report is more of a summary of what happened, while Usain's autobiography extract is more about how he felt and thought during the 100 meter final in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The autobiography extract is more accurate on the events and more detailed about them as the extract is written by Usain Bolt himself, making it one of the most reliable sources for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 

    Usain Bolt's word choice in this autobiography extract is pretty relaxed and casual. The lexical choices he makes is informal, but it doesn't discredit the autobiography extract. The word choice in my newspaper report was more formal than the autobiography extract. The report I wrote contains many adjectives to describe the event and setting as a whole. Usain Bolt's language in his extract is written as if he were telling the story in person. When he states "I burst from the blocks, but Richard Thompson, the Trinidad and Tobago sprinter, was in a lane next to me and he got a start like nobody else in history of the Olympics", it gives a more immersive tone for the reader from the first perspective language in the text. 

    The structure in the autobiography extract is free-flowing and informal. The text contains formal paragraphs with multiple sentences and paragraphs only containing a single sentence. This shows the writer's thought process during the event, as his thoughts get slower or he only focuses on one subject at a certain point in the event. The text that I wrote only contains formal, multiple-sentenced paragraphs. Which differs from the autobiography extract. 

Worksheet 1.5

     Writers use certain language and words to express the purpose of their writing. The language used in writing has an effect on the reader, this effect could be purposeful or not. But the lexical choice from the writer has a big effect on outcomes that can be withdrawn from the text from the reader. 

    The writer uses detailed descriptions of almost everything they incorporate in the text. Their lexical choice for the first paragraph makes Kashmir seem beautiful at face value. But, after dissecting what is actually written and the detailed descriptions, then it is realized how disappointing Kashmir is compared to previous ideas. Kashmir has "yellow mustard fields", which means the grass is yellow rather than the desired green. The mountains are "snow capped", which is normal. The "milky blue sky" meaning that clouds cover the sky, but not in a overshadowing way, but they cover the sky partially throughout. 

    The second paragraph has the same result as the first paragraph, but the disappointments of Qazigund in the second paragraph are more obvious and can be seen on the first read. The descriptions and word choice for the descriptions of Qazigund are written in the same way as the descriptions for Kashmir. There was "dust in the sunlight", meaning dust and sand is always in sight and in the air, which isn't comfortable. There is also "a smell in the cold air of charcoal, tobacco, cooking oil, and months-old dirt, and human excrement".  Charcoal, tobacco, dirt, and human waste are all unpleasant smells, some of the smells could be unbearable. This shows the undesirability of Qazigund. "The grass grew on the mud-packed roofs of cottages", then the writer talks about how he understands why a lady in a story put the cow on the roof. This shows housing conditions, where the grass and mud is piling up on the roof and growing. 

    The structure of the text is out of order as well. If Qazigund is the gateway towards Kashmir, why is Kashmir being described first? It doesn't make sense as the reader needs to know the geographical context within the writing to fully understand it.