SUMMER READING REQUIREMENTS

HONORS ENGLISH 9

2008

BOOKS: Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

Animal Farm, George Orwell.

The Ponder Heart, Eudora Welty

READ each book carefully, taking notes if you think that will help you to remember important elements. There is no journal assignment for these books, but since you will be tested on each of the books on the first full day of school, you might find it helpful to keep notes to review. As you read, note the following concepts either on paper or in your mind:

*Notice times when your reading changes:

--You see something you did not see before.

--You recognize a pattern--the images start to overlap, gestures or phrases recur,

some details seem associated with each other.

--The story suddenly seems to be about something different from what you

thought.

--You discover you were misreading.

--The writer introduces a new context or a new perspective.

*Notice when you are surprised or puzzled:

--Something just does not fit.

--Things do not make sense--consider the question or problem that occurs to you.

*Notice when details seem important and make you look again.

*Notice when something seems significant to you.

*Notice when you particularly enjoy the passage.

All three books will be used in class discussions and essay writing during the first term. Additionally, every student should make a good faith effort to read and understand the books and to treat the assigned readings seriously. Please do not cheat yourself or your classmates by resorting to Cliff’s Notes, Spark Notes, or other “study guides.” These deprive you of the chance to respond to the literature independently and are never an adequate substitute for the book itself. Using them is a violation of the Prep Pledge!

Remember: Objective reading comprehension tests will be given on all three books on the first full day of school. BE AN ACTIVE READER! Have a great summer, and enjoy the books. See you in August!

Uploaded: 4/21/2008