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Prose Reader, The: Essays for Thinking, Reading, and Writing

ISBN: 9780131850163 | 0131850164
Edition: 7th
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Pearson College Div
Pub. Date: 1/1/2005

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SummaryTable of Contents
For courses in English Composition. This patterns reader (rhetorical modes organization) integrates critical thinking apparatus into every chapter, which helps students become better critical thinkers, readers, and writers. 60 provocative and interesting readings24 of which are new to this editionare accompanied well-developed introductions, sample student essays, prewriting questions, and flexible writing assignments.
The Prose Reader promotes the skills of thinking, reading, and writing, enabling the user to thin... MORE
... MORE
Thematic Table of Contentsxv
Preface to the Instructorxxiii
INTRODUCTION: Thinking, Reading, and Writing1(574)
Thinking Critically
3(2)
Reading Critically
5(16)
Preparing to Read
5(4)
Reading
9(7)
Rereading
16(4)
Reading Inventory
20(1)
Writing Critically
21(14)
Preparing to Write
21(6)
Writing
27(3)
Rewriting
30(1)
Writing Inventory
31(4)
Conclusion
35(1)
1 DESCRIPTION: Exploring through the Senses
36(66)
Defining Description
36(2)
Thinking Critically by Using Description
38(2)
Reading and Writing Descriptive Essays
40(5)
Student Essay: Description at Work
45(4)
Some Final Thoughts on Description
49(2)
RAY BRADBURY
Sinner Rituals
51(7)
The description of a simple, comforting ritual-the putting up of a front-porch swing in early summer confirms the value of ceremony in the life of small town.
KIMBERLY WOZENCRAFT
Notes from the Country Club
58(14)
Have you ever wondered what being in prison is like? Kimberly Wozencraft takes us for a no-nonsense tour of the "correctional institution" in Kentucky that was her hone for over a year.
JOHN MCPHEE
The Pines
72(9)
John McPhee's gift of richly detailed prose is captured in this compelling description of two very different natives of "The Pines," a wilderness area in the eastern United States.
MALCOLM COWLEY
The View from 80
81(13)
In this humorous, touching, and ultimately optimistic essay, the author introduces us to the unfamiliar "country" of old age.
BERNARD COOPER
Labyrinthine
94(23)
Bernard Cooper's brilliant analysis of his childhood obsession with mazes reminds us of how easily we all become "lost in the folds and bones" of our advancing years.
CHAPTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
101(1)
2 NARRATION: Telling a Story
102(56)
Defining Narration
102(2)
Thinking Critically by Using Narration
104(1)
Reading and Writing Narrative Essays
105(4)
Student Essay: Narration at Work
109(6)
Some Final Thoughts on Narration
115(2)
LEWIS SAWAQUAT
For My Indian Daughter
117(7)
A Native American responds to prejudice by searching for ethnic and cultural pride.
MAYA ANGELOU
New Directions
124(6)
Deserted by her husband, a proud and determined Annie Johnson decides to "step off the road and cut...a new path" for herself.
RUSSELL BAKER
The Saturday Evening Post
130(11)
In this autobiographical essay, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Russell Baker offers an unflinching look at his childhood days in the small town of Morrisonville, Virginia.
SANDRA CISNEROS
Only daughter
141(7)
The only daughter in a large family, Sandra Cisneros feels overwhelming pride when her father praises her skill as a writer.
GARRISON KEILLOR
How the Crab Apple Grew
148(23)
Humorist Garrison Keillor mixes a delightful literary stew out of marriage, mushrooms, a Piper Cub airplane, and an English assignment.
CHAPTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
157(1)
3 EXAMPLE: Illustrating Ideas
158(50)
Defining Examples
158(2)
Thinking Critically by Using Example
160(2)
Reading and Writing Essays That Use Examples
162(3)
Student Essay: Examples at Work
165(4)
Some Final Thoughts on Examples
169(2)
BILL COSBY
The Baffling Question
171(6)
Why do people have children? Comedian Bill Cosby presents several hilarious and ironic reasons in this truthful look at the effects kids have on our lives.
WILLIAM LEAST HEAT-MOON
Red, White and Blue Highways
177(7)
In this perceptive meditation on "America's roads," William Least Heat-Moon explains how our nation's highways unite us all geographically and spiritually.
HAROLD KRENTS
Darkness at Noon
184(6)
How should we treat the handicapped? Blind author Harold Krents gives us a few lessons in judging people on their abilities rather than their disabilities.
AMY TAN
Mother Tongue
190(10)
In this provocative and intriguing essay, author Amy Tan examines the relationship between her mother's "fractured" English and her own talent as a writer.
BRENT STAPLES
A Brother's Murder
200(21)
Brent Staples's horrifying description of his brother's inner city killing lays bare the decay of urban America and its effect on the young African-America men who are imprisoned there.
CHAPTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
207(1)
4 PROCESS ANALYSIS: Explaining Step by Step
208(57)
Defining Process Analysis
208(2)
Thinking Critically by Using Process Analysis
210(2)
Reading and Writing Process Analysis Essays
212(4)
Student Essay: Process Analysis at Work
216(3)
Some Final Thoughts on Process Analysis
219(2)
EDWIN BLISS
Managing Your Time
221(8)
Feeling frantic and disorganized? Time-management expert Edwin Bliss reveals secrets of organization that will make your life much easier.
JESSICA MITFORD
Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain
229(12)
In this chilling and macabre essay, celebrated "muckraker" Jessica Mitford exposes the greed and hypocrisy of the American mortuary business.
JAY WEINER
Sports Centered
241(7)
Had your fill of overpaid, pampered, prima donna professional athletes? Jay Weiner has just the solution in this impassioned plea to save sports from the greed of corporate America.
LINDA FORMICHELLI
Engage in Word Play
248(7)
Do your participles dangle? Does your syntax sag? Is your rhetoric stuck in a rut? Check out Linda Formichelli's helpful suggestions for giving your prose some pizzazz.
JULIA BOURLAND
Getting Out of Debt (and Staying Out)
255(22)
Credit card bills getting you down? Author Julia Bourland suggests eight easy ways to pay off your balance and stay out of debt.
CHATTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
264(1)
5 DIVISION/CLASSIFICATION: Finding Categories
265(57)
Defining Division/Classification
265(2)
Thinking Critically by Using Division/Classification
267(2)
Reading and Writing Division/Classification Essays
269(3)
Student Essay: Division/Classification at Work
272(3)
Some Final Thoughts on Division/Classification
275(2)
PHYLLIS SCHNEIDER
Memory: Tips You'll Never Forget
277(6)
Ever forget where you parked your car? Phyllis Schneider suggests how to perk up your aging memory.
K.C. COLE
Calculated Risks
283(12)
Do you like to gamble? Have you ever put all your money on one spin of the roulette wheel? Or are you the type of person who prefers to play it safe? K.C. Cole examines the types of risks most of us are comfortable with and comes up with some very interesting conclusions.
JUDITH WALLERSTEIN AND SANDRA BLAKESLEE
Second Chances for Children of Divorce
295(10)
Children of divorce often have a difficult time coping with their parents' separation, but they can return to a happy, well-adjusted life if they accomplish a series of important "tasks" identified in this fascinating essay.
FRANKLIN ZINRING
Confessions of an Ex-Smoker
305(7)
Are you a reformed smoker? Do you know someone who is? Franklin Zimring Offers a witty classification of people who've kicked the habit.
JUDITH VIORST
The Truth About Lying
312(26)
Do you always tell the truth? Judith Viorst classifies and evaluates several types of lies that are a part of our morally complex world.
CHAPTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
321(1)
6 COMPARISON/CONTRAST: Discovering Similarities and Differences
322(67)
Defining Comparison/Contrast
323(1)
Thinking Critically by Using Comparison/Contrast
324(1)
Reading and Writing Comparison/Contrast Essays
325(7)
Student Essay: Comparison/Contrast at Work
332(4)
Some Final Thoughts on Comparison/Contrast
336(2)
BRUCE CATION
Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts
338(7)
Historian Bruce Catton vividly compares the backgrounds, personalities, and fighting qualities of two fascinating Civil War generals.
JIMMY SANTIAGO BACA
Past Present
345(12)
When the author, formerly an inmate at San Quentin, returns to the prison as a free man to help film a movie he has written, the experience reawakens all the rage he felt while incarcerated and reminds him of the sweetness of freedom and the brutality of prison life.
WILLIAM OUCHI
Japanese and American Workers: Two Casts of Mind
357(10)
The phrase "Made in Japan" will take on new meaning after you read this essay on "collective responsibility" in the Land of the Rising Sun.
GLORIA STEINEM
The Politics of Muscle
367(9)
Feminist Gloria Steinem examines the muscle-bound world of women's bodybuilding and discovers that strength means sexual power.
SUCHENG CHAN
You're Short, Besides!
376(25)
Blessed with an indomitable spirit, Sucheng Chan discusses the challenges, benefits, and cultural contrasts of being "non-white, female, handicapped...and short, besides."
CHAPTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
388(1)
7 DEFINITION: Limiting the Frame of Reference
389(51)
Defining Definition
389(1)
Thinking Critically by Using Definition
390(2)
Reading and Writing Definition Essays
392(3)
Student Essay: Definition at Work
395(4)
Some Final Thoughts on Definition
399(2)
ERMA BOMBECK
Grandma
401(8)
What's the difference between a mother and a grandmother? Light years, claims columnist Erma Bombeck! Grandmothers can "shed the yoke of responsibility, relax, and enjoy their grandchildren in a way that was not possible when they were raising their own children."
ROBERT RAMIREZ
The Barrio
409(8)
Robert Ramirez lovingly describes the "feeling of family" in a typical inner-city barrio.
MARY PIPHER
Beliefs About Families
417(9)
What is a "family"? Psychologist Mary Piphor attempts to answer this intriguing question by evaluating the effect that different categories of family members have on our ability to function in society as a whole.
WANG PING
Ways to Ai
426(7)
In "Ways to Ai," author Wang Ping dissects the many different and often contradictory meanings of the word "love" in her native Chinese language, all of which converge at the human heart.
ELLEN GOODMAN
A Working Community
433(22)
Been back to visit your old "neighborhood" lately? Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Ellen Goodman gives new meaning to the term in her essay on the "communities" we all belong to.
CHAPTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
439(1)
8 CAUSE/EFFECT: Tracing Reasons and Results
440(56)
Defining Cause/Effect
441(3)
Thinking Critically by Using Cause/Effect
444(1)
Reading and Writing Cause/Effect Essays
445(3)
Student Essay: Cause/Effect at Work
448(5)
Some Final Thoughts on Cause/Effect
453(2)
STEPHEN KING
Why We Crave Horror Movies
455(7)
Seen any good horror movies lately? Best-selling author Stephen King explains why we are so fascinated by films that appeal to our darker instincts.
MICHAEL DORRIS
The Broken Cord
462(8)
An angry and frustrated Michael Dorns describes the long-term damage done to his adopted son, Adam, by the ravages of fetal alcohol syndrome.
RICHARD RODRIGUEZ
The Fear of Losing a Culture
470(7)
How can Hispanics "belong to America without betraying their past"? Richard Rodriguez offers some helpful insights on a complex cultural topic.
MARY ROACH
Meet the Bickersons
477(6)
"Waddya Mean I never do the dishes?!" Mary Roach presents a light-hearted, but sensible view of arguing fairly within a relationship.
ALICE WALKER
Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self
483(29)
Looking back on an accident suffered many years ago, Alice Walker analyzes the connection between physical beauty and her own self-image.
CHAPTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
495(1)
9 ARGUMENT AND PERSUASION: Inciting People to Thought or Action
496(79)
Defining Argument and Persuasion
497(2)
Thinking Critically by Using Argument and Persuasion
499(2)
Reading and Writing Persuasive Essays
501(5)
Student Essay: Argument and Persuasion at Work
506(4)
Some Final Thoughts on Argument and Persuasion
510(2)
bell hooks
Justice: Childhood Love Lessons
512(12)
Do you believe children should be spanked when they misbehave? Author bell hooks examines the interrelated issues of love, discipline, and maturity in this interesting essay on "Childhood Love Lessons."
ROBERT HEILBRONER
Don't Let Stereotypes Warp Your Judgment
524(7)
Whom would you rather date: Gloria or Bertha? Richard or Cuthbert? What specific images do these names conjure up in your mind? Robert Heilbroner invites us to avoid stereotypical thinking when we encounter the world around us unless we are content with becoming a "stereo-type" ourselves!
DAVE GROSSMAN
We Are Training Our Kids to Kill
531(15)
Retired Col. Dave Grossman questions the role models we are creating for our kids through the violence on TV. In this essay, he challenges us to regain control of child abuse, racism, and poverty in American society.
Opposing Viewpoints: Media Coverage
544(6)
DAVID SHAW
Embedded Reporters Make for Good Journalism
546(4)
JUSTIN EWERS
Is the New News Good News?
550(8)
Should our armed forces overseas permit print and television journalists to be "embedded" in military units engaged in combat? David Shaw and Justin Ewers square off on this controversial and timely issue that illustrates our insatiable appetite for news.
Opposing Viewpoints: Immigration
556(8)
MICHAEL SCOTT
America Must Take Stronger Measures to Halt Illegal Immigration
558(6)
RICHARD RAYNOR
Illegal Immigration Does Not Threaten America
564(29)
Is the United States "under year-round siege by hordes of illegal aliens," as Michael Scott claims, or is Richard Raynor correct when he argues that "America is an immigrant nation" that needs drive, generosity, and energy of people from other countries.
CHAPTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
574(1)
10 DOCUMENTED ESSAYS: Reading and Writing from Sources575(43)
Defining Documented Essays
575(2)
Reading and Writing Documented Essays
577(7)
Student Essay: Documentation at Work
584(7)
Some Final Thoughts on Documented Essays
591(2)
BARBARA EHRENREICH
The Ecstasy of War
593(10)
Do men and women possess a natural "warrior instinct" that enables them to kill their enemies during battle? Not so, claims Barbara Ehrenreich, though many social and cultural rituals help transform ordinary people into effective soldiers.
JILL LESLIE ROSENBAUM AND MEDA CHESNEY-LIND
Appearance and Delinquency: A Research Note
603(17)
Criminologists Rosenbaum and Chesney-Lind offer some fascinating evidence about the relationship between the attractiveness of female offenders and the severity of their punishment.
CHAPTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
617(1)
11 FURTHER THINKING, READING, AND WRITING618(47)
Essays
ROGER ROSENBLATT
"I Am Writing Blindly"
620(1)
What is the basic, primal urge that drives us to communicate with each other? In this brief yet brilliant essay, Roger Rosenblatt examines the reasons why we write "blindly" to the world around us.
RITA MAE BROWN
Writing as a Moral Act
622(1)
Novelist Rita Mae Brown argues persuasively that good writers should always tell the truth. "If you aren't reading books that challenge you, you're reading the wrong books," she claims.
Fiction
RICHARD WRIGHT
The Library Card
629(1)
Set in the segregationist South, Wright's short story illustrates the triumph of one brave man's lust for learning over a society that seeks to keep him "in his place."
JESS ROW
The Secrets of Bats
638(1)
In this enchanting narrative, an American instructor in a Hong Kong school earns the secrets of inter-cultural communication from one of his students.
Poetry
BILLY COLLINS
Books
653(1)
"A choir of authors murmuring inside their books" calls to the author of this poem, inviting him to read about the universe around him.
ROBERT FRANCIS
Catch and Glass
655(1)
These two poems depict poetry as a "ball" being thrown between two boys and as a "glass" through which life is seen most clearly.
Drama
NEENA BEBER
Misreadings
657(1)
In this brief dramatic vignette about a teacher and her reluctant student, Neena Beber lays bare the distinctions between two entirely different world views of thinking, reading, and writing.
CHAPTER WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
664(1)
Glossary of Useful Terms665(13)
Credits678(4)
Index of Authors and Titles682

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