Wednesday, September 26, 2012.
Periods 1-3
1. SSR and Log
2. "A Sound of Thunder" Vocabulary Quiz
3. Worked on "A Sound of Thunder" plot chain. Complete for homework.
Periods 5 & 7
1. Warm-up: Completed handout on appositive phrases.
2. Review Absolute phrases.
3. Analyzed sentence structure in "A Sound of Thunder" passage describing the T-Rex, looking for parts of speech, absolute phrases, prep. phrases, clauses, appositive phrases, reflexive/intensive pronouns, participial phrases; adjectives and adverbs.
Homework: Complete sentence modeling .
An absolute phrase is a phrase that when you add the words Was or Were you can get a complete thought- out sentence.
Heart pounding
Hands trembling
Using Absolute Phrases
An absolute phrase -- is a modifier generally made from a noun or noun phrase and a participle. It can modify a noun or pronoun or the whole of the base sentence to which it is attached.
e.g - Teeth chattering, we waited for hours in the bitter cold.
Sails flapping, the boat tugged at its mooring.
The participle may be expanded into a participle phrase --
Sails flapping in the brisk morning breeze, the boat tugged at its mooring.
An absolute phrase with other combinations
1). Noun and adverb phrase - Ram sat back comfortable, feet up on the desk.
2). Noun and adjective - Muscles taut, he hefted the barbells to his chest.
3). Noun and adjective phrase - She waved to the crowd, her face radiant with triumph.
4). Noun and adverb - Shoulders hunched, Ronaldo zigzagged past the linebacker.
We can use various absolute phrases in succession - Hair golden, eyes blue, body slender and tanned, he personified the California look.
Note - We can put an absolute phrase at the beginning of a sentence or at the end, setting it off with a comma.
We can also put an absolute phrase in the middle.
e.g - The speaker, his voice trembling with rage, denounced the hecklers. (note the pair of commas)
“A Sound of Thunder” by Ray Bradbury
Sentence Analysis
Directions: Label each section of the following sentences Use the lines to write the name of the phrase or part of speech. Label subject and verb by highlighting the subject in yellow and the verb in green. Enclose all prepositional phrases in parentheses, place brackets around all CLAUSES. Label appositives; reflexive and intensive pronouns; participial phrases; adjectives and adverbs.
And the head itself, a ton of sculptured stone, lifted easily upon the sky.
Its mouth gaped, exposing a fence of teeth like daggers.
Its eyes rolled, ostrich eggs, empty of all expression save [except] hunger.
_____________________________________________________________
It closed its mouth in a death grin.
_____________________________________________________________
It ran, its pelvic bones crushing aside trees and bushes, its taloned feet clawing damp earth, leaving prints six inches deep wherever it settled its weight.
_____________________________________________________________
It ran with a gliding ballet step, far too poised and balanced for its ten tons.
_____________________________________________________________
It moved into a sunlit arena warily, its beautifully reptilian hands feeling the air.
_____________________________________________________________
“A Sound of Thunder” by Ray Bradbury
Sentence Modeling Homework
Directions: Write a sentence of your own exactly following the model.
And the head itself, a ton of sculptured stone, lifted easily upon the sky.
Its mouth gaped, exposing a fence of teeth like daggers.
Its eyes rolled, ostrich eggs, empty of all expression save [except] hunger.
_____________________________________________________________
It closed its mouth in a death grin.
_____________________________________________________________
It ran, its pelvic bones crushing aside trees and bushes, its taloned feet clawing damp earth, leaving prints six inches deep wherever it settled its weight.
_____________________________________________________________
It ran with a gliding ballet step, far too poised and balanced for its ten tons.
_____________________________________________________________
It moved into a sunlit arena warily, its beautifully reptilian hands feeling the air.
_____________________________________________________________
