Throw Away Your Earbuds, Boredom Is Good
Rosecrans Baldwin/The Los Angeles Times, February 7, 2016
Mr. Mendelsohn/ English-Language Arts/ Verdugo Hills Multimedia Magnet HS
DIRECTIONS: Complete the following activities based on the essay, Throw Away Your Earbuds, Boredom Is Good. Identify each section of your work using the headings below. Read Baldwin’s essay at least twice: once for general ideas and once for specifics. Highlight or underline any ideas, quotes or words you think are important.
A. VOCABULARY WORDS/TERMS: Look up the definitions of the words and terms below and write them down on your own paper, along with any additional words or terms you didn’t understand in the article.
1) queue 11) solitude
2) podcast 12) BMX
3) Spotify 13) “strung out”
4) dutiful 14) linebacker
5) flak 15) smug
6) cranium 16) Bose
7) hieroglyphics
8) ampersand
9) murmur
10) reinvigorate
B. IDENTIFY RHETORICAL DEVICES: Using CDs from the essay, identify and list one example of each of the following rhetorical devices. If none exist, write “NA”:
1) Thesis:
2) Ethos:
3) Pathos:
4) Logos:
5) Simile:
6) Metaphor:
7) Refutation:
8) Anecdote:
9) Paradox:
10) Rhetorical Question:
C. IDENTIFY PURPOSE, AUDIENCE, TONE AND STYLE
Briefly answer each of the following and include one CD (quote) from the text for each answer:
1) The purpose of the essay:
2) The intended audience for the essay:
3) The author’s tone (Use glossary of tone words):
4) The author’s style (Use glossary of style words):
D. SHORT RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS
Answer each of the following questions and include one CD (quote) from the text for each answer:
1) In your opinion, what is/are the author’s most persuasive argument(s)?
2) In your opinion, what is/are the author’s least persuasive argument(s)?
3) Do you agree or disagree with the author’s thesis and main ideas?
4) Why do you tend to agree or disagree with the author’s point of view? Briefly explain.