Writer’s Craft

 What is the selection’s thesis? Locate the sentence(s) in which Sherry states her main idea. If she doesn’t state the thesis explicitly, express it in your own words. 2. Sherry opens her essay with these words: “Tens of thousands of 18-year-olds will graduate this year and be handed meaningless diplomas.” Why does Sherry consider these diplomas meaningless? 3. According to Sherry, what justifications do any teachers give for “passing students who have not mastered the work” (paragraph 8)? Why does Sherry think that it is wrong to pass such students? 4. What does Sherry think teachers should do to motivate students to focus on school despite the many “distractions….at hand (4)? 5. Refer to your dictionary as needed to define the following words used in the selection: validity (para 1), semiliterate (1), equivalency (2), impediments (4), composure (6), radical (6), priority (6), resentful (7) testimony (9), motivate (10), merit (11), conspiracy (11), and illiteracy (11).
Questions about the Writer’s Craft
1. The pattern. To write an effective argumentation-persuasion essay, writers need to establish their credibility. How does Sherry convince readers that she is qualified to write about her subject? What does this attempt to establish credibility say about Sherry’s perception of her audience’s point of view? 2. Sherry’s title is deliberately misleading. What does her title lead you to believe the essay will be about? Why do you think Sherry chose this title? 3. Why do you suppose Sherry quotes her students rather than summarizing what they had to say? What effect do you think Sherry hopes the quotations will have on readers? 4. Other patterns. What example does Sherry provide to show that the threat of failure can work? How does this example reinforce her case