Escuela Bilingue Especializada en Ciencias y Matematicas Papa Juan XXIII

Review of important topics for the PPAA (2013-2014)

Conversational English

Miss. Zayas

I. Answering in complete sentences

On your test, you will be faced with open ended questions. In that case, you need to

provide a complete answer with a complete sentence. Also, in the given case of being

presented with more than one question, you must make sure you answer both of them.

Practice your complete sentences with the following questions:

1. Where do you go to school?

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2. Think about the next school year. What do you expect from it?

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3. Which is your favorite thing to do? Why?

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4. What do you want to do over the summer vacations?

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5. Describe your ideal/ perfect day. How would it be?

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Example found in the practice exercises:

6. A. How did the Delgados help Aurelias family feel welcome when they first

moved into the neighborhood?

B. Use TWO details from the reading selection to support your answer.

11. A. How is Puerto Rican music different from other types of music?

B. Use at least one detail from the reading selection to support your answer.

II. Figures of speech

A. Definition A figure of speech is an expression that uses language in a non-literal

way. It is a tool writers use to convey a message using comparisons,

exaggerations, etc.

B. Types

1. Metaphor = is a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to

something to which it is not really applicable in order to suggest a

resemblance. In other words, we affirm something is alike another thing, even

though they may not have anything in common.

a. Examples:

1. The snow is a white blanket.

2. America is a melting pot.

3. Her lovely voice was music to his ears.

4. Life is a rollercoaster.

5. The alligators teeth are white daggers.

6. Their home was a prison.

7. Time is money.

8. The detectives face was wood as he listened to her story.

9. The world is a stage.

10. His words were cotton candy.

11. Laughter is the music of the soul.

12. Books are keys to your imagination.

2. Simile - A simile is a rhetorical figure expressing comparison or likeness that

directly compares two objects through some connective word such as like, as,

so, than, or a verb such as resembles.

a. Examples:

1. This house is as clean as a whistle.

2. He is as strong as an ox.

3. Your explanation is as clear as mud.

4. This contract is as solid as the ground we stand on.

5. They are as different as night and day.

6. She is as thin as a toothpick.

7. Last night, I slept like a baby.

8. This dress is perfect because it fits like a glove.

9. My love for you is a deep as the ocean.

10. I am so thirsty, that my throat is as dry as a bone.

11. My love is like a red, red rose.

12. You were as brave as a lion.

3. Hyperbole - A hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration used to make a point. It

is like the opposite of understatement. It is from a Greek word meaning

excess.

a. Examples:

1. I am so hungry I could eat a horse.

2. I have a million things to do.

3. I had a ton of homework.

4. If I cant buy that new game, I will die.

5. This car goes faster than the speed of light.

6. That new car costs a bazillion dollars.

7. We are so poor; we dont have two cents to rub together.

8. You could have knocked me over with a feather.

9. Her brain is the size of a pea.

10. He is older than the hills.

Example found in the practice exercises:

7. Read this sentence from the reading selection. Drums are the heartbeat of Puerto

Rican music. Why did the author most likely include this metaphor?

8. Which phrase in paragraph 5 is an example of imagery?

I. Read the following sentences carefully. Then, indicate if they are an example of metaphor, simile, or hyperbole.

1. The paper is as light as a feather. ____________________________________

2. The ocean was a raging bull. _______________________________________

3. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. ________________________________

4. The streetlight was my security guard. ________________________________

5. A gentle summer wind feels like a soft cotton sheet. _____________________

6. The ship plows the sea. ____________________________________________

7. Her eyes shone like stars in the night sky. _____________________________

8. All the world's a stage. ____________________________________________

9. My little brother eats like a pig. _____________________________________

10. The tears flowed like a river. _______________________________________

11. Mr. Smith drank his tea in oceans. ___________________________________

12. Mom tore through my messy room looking for it. _______________________

13. The mayor's voice was a strong weapon. _______________________________

14. The horse moved with lightning speed. _______________________________

15. Jim is as stubborn as a mule. ________________________________________

III. Imagery A. Definition Imagery is the use of vivid or figurative language to represent

objects, actions or ideas. It is used to help the reader create a mental image of

what is being read.

Examples:

1. He fumed and charged like an angry bull.

2. He fell down like an old tree falling down in a storm.

3. The eerie silence was shattered by her scream.

4. He could hear his world crashing down when he heard the news about her.

5. The F-16 swooped down like an eagle after its prey.

6. The word spread like leaves in a storm.

7. He could hear the footsteps of doom nearing.

8. She was like a breath of fresh air infusing life back into him.

9. The pot was a red as a tongue after eating a cherry flavored ring pop.

10. Her blue eyes were as bright as the Sun, blue as the sky, but soft as silk.

Example found in the practice exercises:

9. Which phrase in paragraph 5 is an example of imagery?

Imagery is creating vivid (strong) mental pictures through using words that appeal to

the senses and emotions.

Rewrite each sentence using imagery to expand on the idea presented.

EXAMPLES

I was afraid.

The fear came over me like a dark cloud.

1. Her hair was nice. ________________________________________________________________________

2. The ocean was wavy. _______________________________________________________________________

3. I am angry. ________________________________________________________________________

4. I fell in love with him/her. ________________________________________________________________________

5. My house is a dump. ________________________________________________________________________

6. My friends voice is annoying. ________________________________________________________________________

7. My homework is hard. ________________________________________________________________________

8. The sky is beautiful. ________________________________________________________________________

9. The painting is colorful. ________________________________________________________________________

10. The couch is comfortable. ________________________________________________________________________

IV. Editing Marks A. Definition Editing marks are symbols we use when correcting a document.

This is also called proofreading. When you submit a document for evaluation

you may receive it back with some of these symbols.

Examples:

1. See reference: http://www.ece.iisc.ernet.in/network_labs/nel/files/proof_reading_marks.pdf

Examples found in practice exercises:

14. Which of the following shows sentence 1 corrected using editing marks?

16. Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

V. Elements of the story

A. Setting The setting refers to the time and location where the story takes place.

B. Plot The plot is the series of events that take place throughout the story. The

author arranges the events in a way in which helps him/her develop the main idea.

The plot has five parts:

1. Introduction The characters and setting are exposed.

2. Rising Action The main problem or conflict is revealed.

3. Climax This is where the event of most interest happens. The reader begins

to wonder how the conflict is going to be solved.

4. Falling Action This is where the events begin to slow down and the solution

to the main conflict begins to unfold.

5. Resolution This is when the conflict finally gets resolved. Every mystery is

clear and the characters find their final situations.

C. Conflict The conflict is any kind of force of opposition that faces the main

character. Without the conflict, the plot of the story could not be developed.

D. Characters The characters are the ones that go through the conflicts of the story.

There are two main characters:

a. Protagonist This is the MAIN character. It is who the story revolves

around and every situation will affect it.

b. Antagonist This is usually the bad guy. The antagonist will do

everything to oppose the protagonist.

E. Theme - The theme of the story is the main idea, what the author tried to say with

the story. The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human

nature. The title of the short story usually points to what the writer is saying and

he may use various figures of speech to emphasize his theme, such as: symbol,

allusion, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or irony.

In the tests you could see it as what the story is MAINLY about?

F. Purpose The purpose can be understood as reason why the story was created. If,

for example my story is about natural disasters, the purpose would be to create

conscience about those types of disasters.

Examples found in practice exercises:

3. Who is the main character in this story?

8. What is the purpose of this reading selection?

22. Where does the passage take place?

24. What is this passage MAINLY about?

I. Read the following story. Then, complete the following exercises.

Long, long ago in a house that overlooked a beautiful garden lived a childless couple.

They prayed to God every day to bless them with a child. One day they found that God had

answered their prayer. They were at long last going to have a baby!

Their days passed in happiness but alas! the wife fell ill. She would eat nothing and the

husband was worried that she would waste away. He tried to tempt her with many good things

but she refused everything. But you must eat something, my dear, he begged her. There is a herb called Rapunzel in the garden next door. I will feel better if I can eat that, she said. The husbands heart sank when he heard her. This garden was owned by a wicked witch who would let no one enter. But he loved his wife very much and so with a pounding heart, he decided to go

into the garden at a time when the witch was away. One day, finding an appropriate time he went

into the gar den. He had managed to pluck the herb but as he was about to leave, the wicked

witch came back. You thief! How dare you enter my garden? she screamed. She threatened to put a curse on him. He fell at her feet and begged, Please dont curse me. If my wife doesnt eat this herb, she will die. She is going to have a baby and is very ill. The witch stopped to think awhile. I will let you go on one condition. You will give me the baby after its born. The poor man had no other way out but to agree.

He took the herb to his wife and miraculously she soon recovered and gave birth to a

beautiful girl. But as per the agreement the witch came to take the baby away. She took

Rapunzelfor thats what she named herfar away and locked her in a high tower. The tower had no doors or stairs. There was only a window on top.

The only person whom Rapunzel ever saw was the wicked witch. Rapunzel grew up to

become beautiful with pretty eyes, a beautiful voice, and her golden hair grew very, very long.

All day long, when Rapunzel was alone, she would sing and weep.

Every day, the wicked witch came to the tower with food. She stood at the bottom of the

tower and shouted. Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let your hair down! Rapunzel would drop her long, braided hair through the window. The witch used the hair as a rope to climb into the tower.

One day, a handsome prince was passing by and heard her sing. He fell in love with her voice

and unknown to all came to the tower every day to hear her sing. One day, the prince saw the

witch climbing up the tower using Rapunzels hair. The next day, the prince too called out to Rapunzel. Let down your hair, he said. The

prince climbed to the top of the tower. After that, the prince came to meet Rapunzel every night.

Alas! the witch soon discovered the prince with Rapunzel. She pushed him from the tower onto a

thorny bush, making him blind. She banished Rapunzel into the desert far away.

Many years passed. The blind prince wandered alone and finally reached the same desert.

One day, he heard familiar voice singing. Following the sound he found her. They hugged each

other in joy. Tears of happiness rolled down Rapuzels cheek. As the tears fell on the princes eyes, he regained his vision.

The prince took Rapunzel to his kingdom and they lived happily ever after.

A. Setting: Which is the setting of this story?: 1. Place:

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2. Time: _____________________________________________________________________

B. Plot: Mention every part of the storys plot: 1. Introduction

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2. Rising Action _____________________________________________________________________

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3. Climax _____________________________________________________________________

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4. Falling Action _____________________________________________________________________

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5. Resolution _____________________________________________________________________

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C. Conflict ________________________________________________________________________

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D. Characters: 1. Protagonists: __________________________________________________________ 2. Antagonists:__________________________________________________________

E. Theme ________________________________________________________________________

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