The Simon and Schuster Short Prose Reader,9780131925892

The Simon and Schuster Short Prose Reader

by ; ; ;
Edition: 4th
ISBN13: 9780131925892
ISBN10: 013192589X
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2006-01-01
Publisher(s): Pearson College Div
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Summary

This book combines creative, up-to-date writing instruction using short, high-interest readings that provide ideas for writing, suggest ways to approach a topic, and show how to organize and present information.Topics include: active reading, the reading-writing connection, narration and description, example and illustration, definition and explanation, classification and division, comparison and contrast, process and direction, cause and effect, and argument and persuasion.For anyone interested in improving their writing skills.

Table of Contents

Thematic Contents xvii
Editing Skills: Contents xxi
Preface xxiii
Active Reading
1(14)
Learning to Be an Active Reader
1(1)
Keeping a Journal
2(1)
Previewing the Reading
2(2)
Title
2(1)
Author and Other Publication Facts
2(1)
Visual Features and Supplements
3(1)
Responses and Predictions
3(1)
A First Reading
4(1)
Staying Aware of Conventions
4(2)
Subject
5(1)
Main Idea or Thesis
5(1)
Supporting Material
5(1)
Patterns of Organization
5(1)
Paragraphs
6(1)
Transitions
6(1)
A Sample Essay: Bob Greene, ``Handled with Care''
6(2)
``[T]hey understood that the woman was troubled, and that what she was doing had nothing to do with sexual titillation; it was more of a cry for help.''
Marking the Text
8(3)
Clarifying Meaning
11(1)
Using the Dictionary
11(1)
Reading Aloud
12(1)
Discussing
12(1)
Rereading
12(1)
Making Inferences and Associations
12(1)
Reading between the Lines
12(1)
Developing Inference Skills
13(1)
Writing to Understand and Respond
13(2)
The Reading-Writing Connection
15(15)
Writing in Response to Reading
15(1)
Building an Essay
16(6)
Finding Ideas
16(2)
Devising a Working Thesis
18(1)
Making a Plan
19(1)
Composing a Draft
20(1)
Improving the Draft
20(1)
Targeting the Readers
20(1)
Getting Feedback
21(1)
Polishing the Final Draft
22(1)
Sample Student Essay: Tara Coburn, ``Someone to Help''
22(3)
``The fragility I now see in my dad has given me the chance to be stronger.''
Resources for Writers on the Internet
25(1)
Responding to a Reading
25(1)
Russell Baker, ``Learning to Write''
26(2)
``[W]hat I was feeling was pure ecstasy at this startling demonstration that my words had the power to make people laugh.''
Suggestions for Writing
28(2)
Strategies for Conveying Ideas: Narration and Description
30(42)
The Point of Narration and Description
31(1)
Using Narratives
31(1)
Using Description
32(1)
The Principles of Narration and Description
32(2)
Organizing the Events
32(1)
Including Specific Details
33(1)
Selecting Descriptive Words
33(1)
The Pitfalls of Narration and Description
34(1)
What to Look For in Narration and Description
35(1)
Images and Ideas
36(1)
For Discussion and Writing
36(1)
Evan Thomas, ``Rain of Fire''
37(8)
``It was a little after 8:40 when she entered the lobby of the North Tower of the World Trade Center.''
Mike Royko, ``Jackie's Debut: A Unique Day''
45(8)
``When Robinson stepped into the batter's box, it was as if someone had flicked a switch. The place went silent.''
William Recktenwald, ``A Guard's First Night on the Job''
53(7)
``[G]etting no worse than garbage thrown at you is the prison equivalent of everything going smoothly.''
Judith Ortiz Cofer, ``More Room'' (Combining Strategies)
60(9)
``Every time a child was due, she would demand, More space, more space.''
Kelly Berlin (student), ``Domestic Abuse''
69(3)
``My sister and Scott had been dating a couple of years, despite the disapproval of my family.''
Strategies for Making a Point: Example and Illustration
72(41)
The Point of Example and Illustration
73(1)
Using Examples to Explain and Clarify
73(1)
Using Examples and Illustrations to Convince
74(1)
The Principles of Example and Illustration
74(1)
Select Appropriate Examples
74(1)
Give Plenty of Examples
75(1)
Include Specific Information
75(1)
The Pitfalls of Example and Illustration
75(1)
What to Look For in Example and Illustration
76(1)
Images and Ideas
77(1)
For Discussion and Writing
77(1)
Elizabeth Berg, ``My Heroes''
78(7)
``If you're smart, I thought, you gratefully take your heroes where you find them. As it happens, they are everywhere.''
Brent Staples, ``'Just Walk On By': A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space''
85(8)
``It was clear that she thought herself as the quarry of a mugger, a rapist, or worse.''
Daniel R. Meier, ``One Man's Kids''
93(8)
``My work is dominated by 6-year-olds.''
Tim Jones, ``The Working Poor'' (Combining Strategies)
101(9)
``After tapping friends and family, maxing out their credit cards, and sufficiently swallowing their pride, at least 23 million Americans stood in food lines last year---many of them the working poor''
David C. Lair (student), ``My Key Chain''
110(3)
``Of these [possessions], I believe that my key chain says more about myself and my life than anything else does.''
Strategies for Clarifying Meaning: Definition and Explanation
113(35)
The Point of Definition and Explanation
114(1)
The Principles of Definition and Explanation
114(2)
Descriptive Details
114(1)
Examples
115(1)
Narration
115(1)
Comparison
115(1)
Contrast
115(1)
The Pitfalls of Definition and Explanation
116(1)
Missing Your Audience
116(1)
Going in Circles
116(1)
Abstraction
116(1)
Leaving Information Out
116(1)
What to Look For in Definitions and Explanations
117(1)
Images and Ideas
117(2)
For Discussion and Writing
117(2)
Gloria Naylor, ``Mommy. What Does `Nigger' Mean?''
119(8)
``[T]he word `nigger' was used in my presence, but it was set within contexts and inflections that caused it to register in my mind as something else.''
Isaac Asimov, ``What Is Intelligence, Anyway?'' (Combining Strategies)
127(7)
``In a world where I could not use my academic training and my verbal talents but had to do something intricate or hard, working with my hands, I would do poorly.''
Wayson Choy, ``I'm a Banana and Proud of It''
134(7)
``I don't mind being called a `banana,' yellow on the outside and white inside.''
Michael Agger, ``Silent Responsibility''
141(5)
``Even when the best boy is a woman, the title does not change. As for its origins, they're unclear.''
Kerri Mauger (student), ``Nothing to Be Scared Of''
146(2)
``Hallucinations can include all of the senses, and my mother had both seen and heard things that weren't there.''
Strategies for Sorting Ideas: Classification and Division
148(41)
The Point of Classification and Division
149(1)
The Principles of Classification and Division
149(2)
Give a Purpose to Your Classification
150(1)
Establish a Clear Basis for Your Classification
150(1)
Make Your Groups Parallel and Equal
150(1)
The Pitfalls of Classification and Division
151(1)
What to Look For in a Classification
152(1)
Images and Ideas
153(1)
For Discussion and Writing
153(1)
Judith Viorst, ``Friends, Good Friends---and Such Good Friends'' (Combining Strategies)
154(9)
``The best of friends, I still believe, totally love and support and trust each other, and bare to each other the secrets of their souls, and run---no questions asked---to help each other, and tell harsh truths to each other when they must be told.''
Paul Chance, ``I'm OK; You're a Bit Odd''
163(8)
``A sadist and a masochist may work out a mutually rewarding relationship, but does that make them healthy?''
David Elkind, ``Types of Stress for Young People''
171(7)
``The major task of psychological stress management is to find ways to balance and coordinate the demands that come from within with those that come from without.''
Juleyka Lantigua, ``The Latino Show''
178(8)
``Here's an idea: Create a Latino version of Friends where each of the amigos represents one of the larger groups of Latinos.''
Bobby Lincoln (student), ``Contemplating Homicide at the Mall''
186(3)
``Nothing has proved more of a challenge and an annoyance to my shopping life than the salespeople.''
Strategies for Examining Two Subjects: Comparison and Contrast
189(43)
The Point of Comparison and Contrast
190(1)
Using Comparisons to Explain
190(1)
Using Comparisons to Persuade
190(1)
Using Contrast to Decide
190(1)
The Principles of Comparison and Contrast
190(2)
Using the Block-by-Block Plan
191(1)
Similarities and Differences
191(1)
Using the Point-by-Point Plan
191(1)
The Pitfalls of Comparison and Contrast
192(2)
Avoid Using Too Many Transitional Words
193(1)
Avoid Repetition in Concluding
193(1)
What to Look For in Comparison and Contrast
194(1)
Images and Ideas
194(2)
For Discussion and Writing
195(1)
Mark Twain, ``Two Views of the Mississippi''
196(7)
``All the grace, the beauty, the poetry had gone out of the majestic river!''
Suzanne Britt, ``Neat People vs. Sloppy People'' (Combining Strategies)
203(9)
``I've finally figured out the difference between neat people and sloppy people. The distinction is, as always, moral.''
Brendan O'Shaughnessy, ``A Whole New Ballgame''
212(7)
``Whereas the boys generally either went deadpan or shot me the evil `how dare you' death stare . . . , the girls often sincerely apologized for any mistake.''
Kathy Seal, ``The Trouble with Talent: Are We Born Smart or Do We Get Smart?''
219(10)
``Our national mania for positive self-esteem too often leads us to puff up kids' confidence, and we may forget to tell them that genius is 98 percent perspiration.''
Dana Webb (student), ``Shopping Online''
229(3)
``With only a computer and a credit card, you can shop online from your very own home.''
Strategies for Explaining How Things Work: Process and Directions
232(36)
The Point of Writing about Process and Directions
233(1)
The Principles of Process and Directions
233(1)
The Pitfalls of Process and Directions
234(1)
Reviewing Your Process
234(1)
Addressing Your Audience
235(1)
What to Look For in Process and Directions
235(1)
Images and Ideas
236(1)
For Discussion and Writing
237(1)
Carol Fleischman, ``Shopping Can Be a Challenge'' (Combining Strategies)
237(7)
``'Shop till you drop' or `retail therapy' could never by my motto. To me, `charge' means going into battle.''
Garrison Keillor, ``How to Write a Personal Letter''
244(7)
``Probably your friend will put your letter away, and it'll be read again a few years from now---and it will improve with age.''
Emily Nelson, ``Making Fake Flakes''
251(7)
``But while TV studios can create talking animals and alien neighbors, snow can be trickier.''
Dave Barry, ``There Are Rules, You Know''
258(7)
``The game is divided into four 15-minute quarters, each of which lasts a little over three hours.''
Ann Moroney (student), ``A Graceful Stride''
265(3)
``At every one of my races, I sat in my blocks looking at the line of hurdles in front of me with fear in my heart.''
Strategies for Analyzing Why Things Happen: Cause and Effect
268(40)
The Point of Cause-and-Effect Writing
269(1)
The Principles of Cause-and-Effect Writing
269(2)
Types of Causes and Effects
269(1)
Patterns of Cause and Effect
270(1)
The Pitfalls of Cause-and-Effect Writing
271(1)
What to Look For in Cause-and-Effect Writing
272(1)
Images and Ideas
272(1)
For Discussion and Writing
272(1)
Rick Reilly, ``The Biggest Play of His Life''
273(7)
``One of the captains of the high school football team had something big he wanted to tell the other players.''
Stephen King, ``Why We Crave Horror Movies'' (Combining Strategies)
280(8)
``The mythic horror movie, like the sick joke, has a dirty job to do. It deliberately appeals to all that is worst in us.''
Jade Snow Wong, ``Fifth Chinese Daughter''
288(8)
``Did a daughter have any right to expect more than a fate of obedience, according to the old Chinese standard?''
Greg Critser, ``Supersize Me''
296(9)
``Human hunger could be expanded by merely offering more and bigger portions.''
Amee Bohrer (student), ``Blogging: An Emerging Addiction''
305(3)
``Any idiot can get a blog---that's the beauty of it.''
Strategies for Influencing Others: Argument and Persuasion
308(57)
The Point of Argument and Persuasion
309(1)
The Principles of Argument and Persuasion
309(1)
The Elements of Good Argument
310(2)
Claims
310(1)
Evidence
311(1)
Refutation
312(1)
A Sample Annotated Argument: Joshua Wolf Shenk, ``Ignoring the Solution''
312(3)
``[T]here's another message leaders should heed---that no one has to die needlessly.''
The Pitfalls of Argument and Persuasion
315(1)
Taking on Too Much
315(1)
Mistaking the Audience
315(1)
Logical Fallacies
315(1)
What to Look For in Argument and Persuasion
316(1)
Images and Ideas
317(1)
For Discussion and Writing
317(1)
Arthur Ashe, ``Send Your Children to the Libraries''
318(7)
``I strongly believe the black culture expends too much time, energy and effort raising, praising and teasing our black children as to the dubious glories of professional sports.''
Bill Bryson, ``The War on Drugs''
325(7)
``The saddest part of this zealous vindictiveness is that it simply does not work.''
Barbara Huttmann, ``A Crime of Compassion'' (Combining Strategies)
332(8)
``[E]very night I prayed that Mac would die, that his agonized eyes would never again plead with me to let him die.''
Debate: Examining the Death Penalty
David Leihowitz, ``Death Penalty Showdown''
340(4)
``Execution represents a proportional, measured response to mankind's most barbarous act.''
Jim Dwyer, Peter Neufeld, and Barry Scheck, ``When Justice Lets Us Down''
344(7)
``In the last decade. DNA tests have provided stone-cold proof that 69 people were sent to prison and death row in North America for crimes they did not commit.''
Debate: The Right to Same-Sex Marriage
Mary Ann Glendon, ``For Better or for Worse?''
351(3)
``Whether one is for, against, or undecided about same-sex marriage, a decision this important ought to be made in the ordinary democratic way.''
Katha Pollitt, ``Adam and Steve---Together at Last''
354(3)
``[A]s long as marriage is here, how can it be right to deny it to those who want it?''
Leonard Pitts, ``Dearly Beloved, Why Are We Debating This?''
357(3)
``[Marriage] is, indeed, our civilization's bedrock. But you know something? That bedrock has been crumbling for years, without homosexual help.''
Mace Boshart (student), ``Gay Marriage Should Be a Civic Issue''
360(5)
``If we want to consider our county free from persecution, then we must see how the line drawn between church and state has been blurred and how this has led to injustice and unfairness.''
Combining Strategies: Further Readings
365(18)
David G. Myers, ``Do We Fear the Right Things?''
366(4)
``It's perfectly normal to fear purposeful violence from those who hate us. But with our emotions now calming a bit, perhaps it's time to check our fears against facts.''
Langston Hughes, ``Salvation''
370(3)
``So I decided that maybe to save further trouble, I'd better lie, too, and say that Jesus had come, and get up and be saved.''
Cynthia Crossen, ``Marriage in the U.S.: Early, Often, and Informal''
373(3)
``If marriage law became a thicket of red tape, divorce was a jungle.''
Jack Hitt, ``Navajo Code Talkers: The Century's Best Kept Secret''
376(3)
``The language of the Code Talkers, their mission, and every detail of their messaging apparatus was a secret they were all ordered to keep, even from their own families.''
Richard Selzer, ``The Discus Thrower''
379(4)
``'Every morning he orders scrambled eggs for breakfast, and, instead of eating them, he picks up the plate and throws it against the wall.'''
Glossary 383(14)
Credits 397(4)
Index 401

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