24 Apr 2012

Belfast centre remembers Titanic 100 years on

A new chance to see the video once again:

Some vocab: 

  • dungeon: A dark, often underground chamber or cell used to confine prisoners.
  • poignant: sharply distressing or painful to the feelings 
  • destitute: Lacking resources or the means of subsistence; completely impoverished. 
  • shilling: a former British and Australian silver or cupronickel coin worth one twentieth of a pound: not minted in Britain since 1970
  • dinner suit: formal suit for evening events and social functions.

22 Apr 2012

10 Apr 2012

How to write a book report

Introduction

You should try to write a strong introductory sentence that grabs your reader's attention. Somewhere in your first paragraph, you should also state the book's title (italicized), the topic, and the author's name. Include publication information as well as brief statements about the book's angle, the genre, the theme, and a hint about the writer's feelings in the introduction.

Body

 Consider the following points:

  • Did you enjoy the book?
  • Was it well written?
  • What was the genre?
  • (fiction) Which characters play important roles that relate to the overall theme?
  • Did you notice reoccurring symbols?
  • Is this book a part of a series?
  • (nonfiction) Can you identify the writer's thesis?
  • What is the writing style?
  • Did you notice a tone?
  • Was there an obvious slant or bias?
 In the body of your book report, you will use your notes to guide you through an extended summary of the book. You will weave your own thoughts and impressions into the plot summary.

 

Conclusion

 As you lead to your final paragraph, consider some additional impressions and opinions:

  • Was the ending satisfactory (for fiction)?
  • Was the thesis supported by strong evidence (for non-ficton)?
  • What interesting or notable facts do you know about the author?
  • Would you recommend this book?
(Adapted from http://homeworktips.about.com/od/writingabookreport/a/report.htm )