Okay, so I'll be in Juneau (potentially) doing class to go see Poetry Out Loud finals. I will give you this last class to work on essays. Note, only Athena and Adalia seem to be finished so the rest of you should be working diligently.
Let me know if you have questions. You can text me.
Today we are going to look at the Cause and Effect essay - on page 342. We will also be reading either "The Movie that Changed My Life" or "Examined Life"
Today, we will go over the definition essay (chapter 5 page 291) and
look at two sample "definition" essays by professional writers.
DEFINITION Points to Remember
Remember
that you are obligated to define key terms that you use in your
writing— such as Marxism, alternative medicine, nontraditional student.
Understand your purpose in defining: to explain, to entertain, to persuade, to set boundaries, or to establish a standard.
Understand
how writers construct an argument from a definition. For example, by
defining the good life or good government, they argue for that kind of
life or government.
Know
the several ways of defining: giving examples, analyzing qualities,
attributing characteristics, defining negatively, using analogies, and
showing function.
Learn
to use definition in combination with other strategies, as a basis on
which to build an argument, or as supporting evidence. Al Weber:
The one thing that we can control
in our lives is our personal reactions to the events occurring around us. Do we
stand up and speak up about abuse, or sit back as our best friend turns down an
offer of a lifetime? We are responsible for our actions. We must take control
and stand up for what we believe to be morally right. All throughout history
there have been incidents of leaders taking initiative and standing up for what
they believe in. Conversely, there have also been moments of weakness; cowards
whom don’t speak up, passer-bys who don’t stop to report a crime, or help a victim.
These moments do not define the person at fault, but rather emphasize the
importance of the brave ones who do stay with the victim, who do call 911, who
take a stand.
One
Significant Transcendentalist Philosopher, Henry David Thoreau, showed responsibility when he denied support
of a war that was, in his mind, immoral. Thoreau was asked to pay a poll tax
that supported the Mexican American War, but because the war was a ploy to gain
territory in the South, allowing slavery to thrive, Thoreau
refused. This is a classic example of responsibility. It was
Thoreau’s moral obligation to refuse to pay the poll tax because he did not
believe in what it supported. If he had paid the poll tax because the
government told him to then this would be an example of cowardice.
Another instance of responsibility
can be seen in Eugene V. Debs’s speech against World War I. Although he knew
that he would be arrested due to the Sedition Act. He believed that it was his
moral duty to speak up about the injustice of the World War. He advocated for
the common people to have the right to declare war or peace. Although Debs went
to prison for his speech he was responsible in doing so because he took action
against his suppressor.In fact he was
able to run for presidency while he was in prison.
While
there are many situations where people show their responsibility and maturity,
there are also plenty of cowardice moments in history. Everyone has a flaw,
even the people in the Bible. Pontius Pilate’s weakness in the face of a
rioting mob calling for Jesus' death, even though he knew of his innocence is
the ultimate show of cowardice. Although Pilate had the power to set Jesus
free, his fear of insurrection prevented him from making the right moral choice. Cowardice
appears to be one of the main themes of many pieces of literature, and society.
So maybe the human race as a whole are guilty of it? And if we are all guilty
of cowardice, then we must all be guilty of responsibility at times as well
because you cannot have one without the other.
With such
chaos going on in our lives, we should control the one thing we have authority
over: our actions. The way we respond and learn can define your life. You learn
from your and others’ mistakes, however, so cowardice is essential in
developing responsibility and bravery in society.
Today we will read over the "Division and Classification" section of your the river reader and discuss.
DIVISION AND CLASSIFICATION
Points to Remember
1. Determine whether you want to (a) explain an existing system of classification of (b) create your own system.
2. Divide your subject into smaller categories by applying the same principle of selection to each category.
3. Make sure that your division is complete by establishing separate and consistent types of categories.
4. Arrange your categories (and the examples you use to illustrate each category) in a logical and emphatic sequence.
5. Demonstrate the significance of your system by calling your readers’ attention to its significance.
Today, we need to discuss where you are in your essays, and you should begin your "Compare and Contrast" essay. If you need examples to look at please refer to the river reader
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
Points to Remember
1. Decide whether you want the pattern of your comparison to focus on
the complete units (divided) or specific features (alternating).
2. Consider the possibility of combining the two patterns.
3. Determine which subject should be placed in the first position and why.
4. Arrange the points of your comparison in a logical balanced, and dramatic sequence.
5. Make sure you introduce and clarify the reasons for making your comparison.
“3 cups of flour” my mom uttered to herself as she began setting the
ingredients out for the apple pie. The first use of flour was 30,000 years ago
and today most meals still use it as a thickening agent. However, lately, there
has been gluten free craze traveling around the world. Should we actually avoid
all gluten though? There is a stark difference in the health benefits and
withdrawals between different types of flour, and it is our responsibility to
be educated on what we decide to put into our body.
During
Christmas vacation I traveled to Florida to visit my gluten free family and
found it unnaturally difficult to cook meals for all of my kin. None
of them were actually allergic to gluten, but rather felt that it was healthier
to avoid wheat altogether. Countless people like my family in Florida argue
that white flour, being processed, is not healthy for consumption. While they
are accurate that the handling of white flour removes much of its nutrients it
also has some benefits and has a history of successful use. White flour
contains only the starchy endosperm of the grain which makes it easy to digest
if one has a compromised digestive system. Numerous cultures have survived on
high diets in starch and their populations have been extremely healthy. Like
the Okinawans, who traditionally obtained 85% of their calories from starch. or
the Tukisenta in Papua New Guinea who consumed 94.6% starchy carbohydrates in
the 1960s. Cultures like these were shown to have exceptionally long lifespans
and a virtual non-existence of modern illness such as heart disease.
Furthermore, white flour can be kept for a very long time which makes it more
economical. The issues with processed flour, however, is that it contains
chemical residue left over from the bleaching of it to turn it stark white.
Certain proteins in the flour produce an oxidizing chemical reaction with the
chlorine gas which forms a very toxic byproduct known as Alloxan. Alloxan
has been used to induce diabetes in lab rats. With these scary names of
chemicals and diseases surrounding white flour in an enigma many people attempt
to avoid it altogether. It should not be this difficult to have family reunions
due to dinner time, white flour in moderation can be consumed without extreme
worry for your health.
When
I was five I asked my dad for “real” bread on my grilled cheese. By this, I
meant that white fluffy goodness that comes in white flour bread loaf. My
father, instantly grew defensive over his healthy and nutritious wheat bread
that I snubbed. In contrast with the high-risk white flour, wheat flour has
many more benefits in nutrition and health. In fact, The 2010 U.S. Dietary
Guidelines recommend that at least half of your daily grain intake come from
whole grains. One of the primary nutritional differences between
whole-wheat and white flour is the food’s fiber content. Dietary fiber has a
number of health benefits -- it prevents constipation, lowers blood cholesterol
and might help you lose weight, according to Colorado State University. The
refining process associated with making white flour separates the fiber-rich
brain from the rest of the grain, so white flour typically contains less fiber
than its whole-grain counterpart. For example, 1/2 cup of white flour contains
1.3 grams of fiber, while an equal serving of whole-wheat flour contains 6.4
grams. As a result, selecting foods that contain wheat flour helps you reach
your dietary fiber intake goal -- 28 grams daily if you follow a 2,000-calorie
diet, according to Colorado State University. Numerous other benefits include
reduced risk of stroke, asthma, colorectal cancer, and healthier blood pressure
level.
The gluten
free craze is just that, a craze. By watching what we put into our bodies we
can successfully remain healthy while still enjoying the food that we eat. If
your grandma makes you chocolate chip cookies, feel free to take one or maybe
even three. You are required, however, for the health of your body, to keep a
well balanced diet and minimize the toxins that you put in it.
This week you should be working on your Process Analysis essay. If you need examples please look in the river reader in chapter 2. You can also watch the video below and I'll also post Al Weber's process analysis below.
Please send me your drafts when you start. You should also have your narration essays (draft 1) done.
Here is Al Weber's Process Analysis:
How to be a SuccessfulSalesperson
There are two types of people in
this world: followers and leaders. As a salesperson it is your job to be a
leader. If you are a master at sales you should be able to read your customer
and weave a story about your product to fit their amusement so enticing that
they believe it was their personal idea and they cannot live without that
product. As Lau Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher of Taoism, stated “The best
leaders are those their people hardly know exist.”.
To bring
the sale to a close and have a enjoyable experience for both you and your
customer you must do five simple steps.
Dress Appropriately. This is common sense for most people,
but others will struggle with this idea. Here is some motivation: according to Business
Insider first impressions are formed within seven to seventeen seconds of
meeting someone and fifty five percent of a person’s opinion is determined by
physical appearance. The way you dress could well be the deal breaker between
the two thousand dollar sale and a walk out the door.
Have good body posture.
If you are slouching over a display case or slinking around the floor you will
not exude confidence. Customers will catch onto this and will be less likely to
follow you or trust you. During face to face meetings, 93% of people's judgments
of others are based on non-verbal input like body language. How you stand,
sit, and shake hands communicates a lot more than what you say. Eye
contact is included in this. To build a trusting relationship with another
person your eyes should connect about 70 to 80% of the time. This shows your
customer two things. First: that you are listening to their story and what they
wish. Second: that you like them. While you should make eye contact, do not
stare, or excessively blink. Too much blinking is suspicious. Adults normally
blink around 15 to 20 times per minute. When under pressure, or stressed,
blinking increases (Bill Clinton’s blink rate during his deposition was at 92
blinks per minute)
Greet and read the customer. In order to welcome the client a
general “Hello” or “Welcome to (enter store name here)” will suffice. This
instantly tells the purchaser that you are there to help them. You are
essentially their waiter/host while they are in the gallery. Next, figure out for
whom they are shopping for by asking leading questions such as “what brings you
to Kirmse’s?” or more directly “Who are you shopping for and how can I help?” By
asking questions such as these you learn what type of customer they are. There
are essentially four different types of purchasers.
The first, buys for others. If they
are shopping for their ten year old daughter who is likely to lose her bracelet
in a couple of weeks then gain their trust by steering them to a less expensive
item so that they are more willing to buy it. If a customer is shopping for
their significant other you can deliver your own expert advice about pricier
pieces: this added knowledge will often sway their opinions about the product.
There has been many a time that I have been forced to choose a necklace to
surprise someone’s fiancé.
The second, buys for themselves.
These people are some of the easiest to sell to because they know their taste
and they know their budget. All you have to do is wait it out, present all of
the pieces, listen, and be pleasant. Remember though that customers usually lie
about their budget and will typically spend a bit more than they state if they
are taken by the piece.
The third, waits for others who are
shopping. If you get stuck with the elderly gentleman that simply wants to know
your life story as his wife shops find him a stool and like an ex-couple
politely, but firmly, move on. You do not need to babysit him. In fact he will
probably be happier now that he can simply sit and wait rather than have to
maintain conversation. UNLESS you have no other customers to attend to…..then keep him happy so his wife is
comfortable shopping for a long time, knowing that he is engaged and content)
It’s a truly skilled saleswoman who manages to take coin from the waiting
husband.
The fourth, “just looking”. There
is no “just looking” person. They entered your store for a reason.
Subconsciously they are there to buy something. It is your job to continue to
ask leading questions until you find that one person they forgot to get a gift
for, or the birthday that they forgot.
Present the product. In
order to give off all of the superb qualities of your product you must truly
believe in it. Make sure that you believe
100% in your product. People either follow leaders or are leaders. Make
sure that they are following you. If there is any hesitancy or dishonesty in
your sales pitch customers will sniff it out like a dog to meat and will
instantly jump off your bandwagon. Furthermore, The customer is NOT always
right. Often times customers will tell you that they know everything there is
to know about your product and that you are selling something fake or too
expensive. Although they may be an expert on that type of thing; you are an expert on your merchandise.
One time I was taking care of a lady who was trying on a pair of Amber
earrings. She clearly adored them, and also clearly wished for a discount.
After several hours of requesting for a cut in the price I finally gave her the
last NO. She went on to say that, as an avid Amber collector, she recognized
these earrings as pseudo-Amber and again demanded a discount. I remained calm
and professional, and held my ground that they were true Amber, and eventually
she bought them at full price.
Take it to the cash register.
Once your client has found a couple of items that they like begin to lead them
to a “close”. You might say “would you like me to set these over by the counter
as you continue to look around?” or “Will you be paying cash or using a credit
card?” this brings up the idea that they will actually be making the purchase
rather than just ogling and drooling over the items.
If done correctly,
you and the customer should have an enjoyable experience. No one should have to
feel bullied or bullied into a sale. In the end customers will be appreciative of your expert guidance
and the knowledge they’ve gained. They will then leave your store with
their purchase, and good words on their lips to spread your excellent
reputation
