HOMEWORK CLUSTER #2C

WEEKS 2-7 THROUGH 2-8

Assigned Reading (Due Mo Tu We Th Fr 1 / 15)

• Through page 263 in The Pact

Assigned Work (Due Mo Tu We Th Fr ____/____)

• As per your Reading Schedule instructions, keep track of 5 sentences or phrases that jump out at you
while reading (using either Post-It notes, a notebook, etc.)
• What subjects appear in the story? (i.e., evil, injustice, inhumanity, corruption, poverty, friendship,
individuality, survival)
o Write a simple sentence about each subject listed explaining how it applies to the novel.
• Analyze the character(s) and characterization in the novel.
o What do they say?
o What do they do?
o What do they think?
o What important things do they have and/or wear?
o With whom do they associate?
o What do others say about them?

Assigned Vocabulary and Spelling (Due Mo Tu We Th Fr ____/____)

essential examine exhibit
establish excerpt explain
estimate exclude
evaluate exercise (not aerobic!)

With FIVE of the words above…

• Write a CLAIM / GENERAL STATEMENT (See the excerpt from your Elements of an Argument
handout below to refresh your memory.)

With FIVE of the words above…

• Write a THESIS STATEMENT about any of the texts you’ve read in class or independently this
year.

1. Claim: A statement that focuses on an issue within a broad topic. It is a general belief or assertion about
this issue and is expressed without support or proof.

Examples
Topic: Baseball
Claim: Good pitching is essential for winning the pennant.
Topic: Baseball
Claim: Athletes’ use of steroids adversely affects baseball.

Topic: Education
Claim: Homework is a crucial part of students’ education.
Topic: Education
Claim: Good teachers don’t give much homework.
Assigned Prefixes, Suffixes, or Root Words (Due Mo Tu We Th Fr ____/____)
ir- not
iso- equal
macro- large, great, long
mal- bad, wrong
meso- middle

For each of the prefixes above…

• Write a sentence that demonstrates appropriate parallel structure. (See below.)

Parallel Sentences: In grammar,  parallelism  is  a  balance  of  two  or  more  similar  words,  phrases,  or  
clauses.  
• Lacking  parallelism:  She  likes  cooking,  jogging,  and  to  read.
• Parallel:  She  likes  cooking,  jogging,  and  reading.
• Lacking  parallelism:  Benjamin  ran  across  the  yard,  jumped  over  the  fence,  and  down  the  alley  he  
sprinted.
• Parallel:  Jonathan  ran  across  the  yard,  jumped  over  the  fence,  and  sprinted  down  the  alley.

Ongoing Projects
• Cab and Concept Quiz 2B (Mo Tu We Th Fr ____/____)
o Assigned vocabulary
o Pages 111-263 in The Pact
o In-class discussions of “Flowers for Algernon”