Exemplification Guided Response
"The Dog Ate My Flash Drive, and Other Tales of Woe" Carolyn Foster Segal
1. Reading the associated material that introduces the essay, and the essay itself, what is the audience for this essay, and how can you tell?
2. In her first paragraph, Segal includes a sentence that lists the five categories she will discuss. Why or why not is this sentence necessary?
3. Write one sentence that summarizes each of the five categories of excuses that Segal shares. Use this format: The family is a group of excuses that includes... (Five sentences total)
4. Are Segal's categories arranged in random order? If not, what determines the order in which she presents them?
5. Unlike most MLA formatted papers, this essay has boldface headings (The Family, for example) to identify the categories. Are these headings necessary, or do the topic sentences clearly identify the topics of the essay? What sentences, if any, would need to be rewritten if the headings were removed?
6. Do you see all the excuses Segal lists as valid reasons for handing in a late paper or asking for more time to complete an assignment? Why or why not?
7. Choose at least three unfamiliar words or phrases from the essay. Make note of them and investigate them. How did you determine meaning for them?
8. Choose one sentence or quote from the entire essay. Copy it, with quotation marks around it, followed by parentheses with the page number that the quote is on. In a few sentences, explain why the quote caught your attention. Does it have any relevance to your own experience? Does it make you want to learn more about something?