2011 AP Essay rubric notes

- scoring = essay as a whole ; content, style, mechanics

9-8 - range of interpretations, demonstrate consistent and control over the elements in composition in language.
       - very specific references, demonstrate good writing that is clear and sophisticated,

7-6 - reasonable analysis/ literary devices,
      - less thorough less precise in the discussion of the father/son
      -ability to express ideas clearly, make references to text, just not as highly as to a score of a 9-8 essay

5 - plausible reading in use of literary devices to develop the relationship from father to son.
   - often rely on paraphrase, literary devices may be vague, formulaic, or minimally supported by references of the text.
   - minor misinterpretations, demonstrate some control of language, essay not as well conceived or organized as the essay's pertaining the scores of 7-8

This quote by John Lennon can always put a smile on my face. :)
It reminds me that when life is hard you can always find those little things in life that bring you back to that happy state of mind. This quote also says how close of a connection there is between a mother and her child.  I know when I ever need help in something I can go to my mom and she will be gladly to help. This week started off rough for me. And I remembered this quote. It reminded me that life is beautiful and I should let the negative thoughts out and let happy thoughts in. Once your able to accept the way things turned out (can be from any trouble or hard truth that someone can not accept) then it shows that your a growing as a person and maturing. So quote the famous Bob Marley, "Don't worry, be happy". After all we only live one life. So lets make the best out of it.

Vocab list #5
1. acumen- keen insight; shrewdness.
Remarkable acumen in business matters.

2. anachronism- an error in chronology in which a person, object etc. are assigned a date or a period not in the correct one.

3. apocryphal- false; spurious
He told a apocryphal story about how the breakup happened but the truth was later revealed.

4. disparity- lack of similarity or equality
The woman was constantly reminded about the disparity of wealth.

5. dissimulate- to disguise or conceal under a false appearance

6. empirical- derived from or guided by experience or experiment


7. flamboyant- strikingly brilliant; colorful
The flamboyant colors of the Mexican dress really popped.

8. fulsome- offensive to good taste, especially as being excessive
A table filled with a heaped of fulsome greasy foods.

9. immolate- to sacrifice, destroy by fire
The brother sacrificed himself to save his mother.

10. imperceptible- very slight or gradual, or subtle
The imperceptible road was quiet steep.

11. lackey- a servile flower, toady
In danger of humiliation he sent a lackey to sit next to him.

12. liaison-the contact or connection maintained by communications between units of the armed forces or of any other organization in order to ensure concerted action,cooperation
It would have been against their principles to remark on an open liaison.

13. monolithic- consisting of one piece made by stone
The monolithic cow heard is now prone to disease.

14. mot juste- the exact appropriate word.
My mom had to find the mot juste way to not use profanity.

15. nihilism- total rejection of established laws and institutions

16. patrician- a person of very good background, education, or good refinement
Tom cruise could be cast in a role as a patrician senator.

17. propitiate- to make favorably inclined; conciliate

18. sic- used in brackets to show an error written off of the original copy

19. sublimate- divert into a culturally higher or socially more sociable activity

Beowulf  & Godsylla

Meanehwæl, baccat meaddehæle, monstær lurccen;
Fulle few too many drincce, hie luccen for fyht.
Ðen Hreorfneorhtðhwr, son of Hrwærowþheororthwl,
Æsccen æwful jeork to steop outsyd. Þhud! Bashe! Crasch! Beoom! Ðe bigge gye
Eallum his bon brak, byt his nose offe;
Wicced Godsylla wæld on his asse.
Monstær moppe fleor wyþ eallum men in hælle.
Beowulf in bacceroome fonecall bamaccen wæs;
Hearen sond of ruccus sæd, "Hwæt ðe helle?"
Graben sheold strang ond swich-blæd scharp
Stond feorth to fyht ðe grimlic foe. "Me," Godsylla sæd, "mac ðe minsemete."
Heoro cwyc geten heold wiþ fæmed half-nelson
Ond flyng him lic frisbe bac to fen
Beowulf belly up to meaddehæle bar,
Sæd, "Ne foe beaten mie færsom cung-fu."
Eorderen cocca-cohla yce-coeld, ðe reol þyng.


Meanwhile, back at the hall, monster lurked,
full of to many drinks, he lurked for a fight.
Then Hrothgar son of Hrothgar,
Asked the awful jerk to step outside. Thud! Bash! Crash! Boom! The big guy.
All of his bones broke, and bit his nose off,
Wicked Godsylla fell on his ass.
Monster mopped the floor while all the men were in the hall,
Beowulf in backroom, phone call from back home
Hearing sound of ruckus said, "What the hell?"
Grabbing strong shield, switch-blade was sharp
Send forth to fight the grim like foe. "Me, Godsylla said, "Make me mince meat"
Hero getting hold quickly with half-nelson
And flying him like a frisbee back and forth.
Beowulf belly up to the mead-hall bar
Said, "No foe beating me up for some kung-fu."
Ordering ice cold coca-cola, the real thing.

Vocab List # 4

1. apostate- a person who forsakes his religion
Babies were killed to keep from growing up with apostate parents.

2. effusive- extravagantly demonstrative of emotion
Jose was effusive and very loving, he kissed me on both cheeks.

3. impasse- position or situation which there is no escape, deadlock
I couldn't impasse the moment my mother said embarrassing memories of me of when I was a child.

4. euphoria- a state of intense happiness and self-confidence
My brother was euphoric when he saw results in the community event he put together.

5. Lugubrious- mournful, or gloomy
Lugubrious songs of love.

6. bravado- a pretentious, swaggering display of courage.
During a fight, false bravado may make a foe back down.

7. consensus- majority of opinion
Our collaborative group came to a consensus about the profile layout.

8. dichotomy- division into two parts.
There is a false dichotomy between art and science, which is slowly being eroded over the years.

9. constrict- compress
The boa was constricting the bird to slowly kill it.

10. Gothic- pertaining or designing the style of painting.
Batman was very gothic and mysterious.

11. punctilio- fine point
They really seem to show a readiness to stand on punctilio and ceremony

12. metamorphosis- a profound change form from one stage to the next life history of an organism
Butterflies go through the process of metamorphosis while in a cocoon.

13. raconteur- person skilled in telling stories.
And his friends knew he was a good mimic and raconteur.

14. sine qua non- an indispensable  condition
Her presence was the sine qua non of every social event.

15. quixotic- chivalrous or romantic
It was a quixotic gesture from my boyfriend, when he bought me roses for my birthday.


16. vendetta- any prolonged; bitter feud; rivalry
His supporters say the government is waging a vendetta against himself.

17. non sequitur-  statement containing an illogical conclusion
In the debate she stated non sequitur and it cost her the debate.

18. mystique- framework of doctrines, ideas, beliefs
My fathers mystique of life was worth learning about.

19. quagmire- Awkward, complex situation.
My brother is so quagmire around girls his friends feel bad for him.

20. Parlous- perilous, dangerous
The hike up the mountain was so parlous that the tourist had to sign a release form.

Lit Anal reading choice # 1
 Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
I am choosing this reading because I have heard good reviews from my peers and some teachers that have read it and they really enjoyed it. So i strongly believe that I will enjoy it as well. It is similar to a story I have read before which is The Giver by Lois Lowry. Which I loved reading and strongly recommend to others if they'd like to read it one day.

Vocabulary Definitions

1. accolade- any award, honor or laudatory notice
 The student received an accolade for opening the door for a teacher rather then letting it slam in their face.

2. attrition- reduction, decrease in numbers, size or strength
Haven't really seen much of an attrition on the price of gas these past couple of years or so.

3. acerbity- harshness or severity, sourness.
The acerbity of the lemon caused her to spit out the piece she bit.

4. bromide- platitude or trite saying
My brothers personality seemed to be very bromide and bland.

5. chauvinist- a person aggressively and blindly patriotic,
My father's chauvinist attitude of our country might be a little to much.

6. chronic- constant
Our teacher has a chronic disorder of OCD.

7. expound- explain, state in detail.
 I had to expound my examples in my essay to receive the grade I aimed for.

8. factionalism- self-interested; partisan
In early territorial politics, factionalism and prejudice ruled the day.

9. immaculate- free from spit/stain, moral blemish/impurity.
My white clothes are always so immaculate until I get it dirty by the third time I wear it.

10. imprecation- cursing
My imprecation is to an extant were it has become my daily language.

11. ineluctable- incapable of being evaded; inescapable
Chance seemed to be ineluctable in the quantum world.

12. mercurial- changeable
 His mercurial personality has been an irritant to the teammates and coaches.

13. palliate- to relieve or lessen without curing, alleviate
The soldier had to palliate his burn wounds to relieve himself from the pain.

14. protocol- an original draft, record from a document (treaty)
The baseball league an in-game protocol designed to detect the players concussions.

15. resplendent- shining brilliantly, gleaming
My daughters smile is resplendent that she attracts all the little toddler boys.

16. stigmatize- to set some work of disgrace or infamy
The problem with ads is that they not unfairly stigmatize children or blame the parents.

17. sub rosa- confidentially
The presidents information is sub rosa that no one, not even his wife can know of it just yet.


18. vainglory- boastful, excessive elation or pride over one's own achievements.
In performing their funerals, they show no state in vainglory.

19. vestige- surviving evidence
It has tiny rounded ears and the mere vestige of  the tail.

20. volition- the power of willing, choice or decision made by will.
As he was finishing up, he took the flag down as his own volition.