Practice Common Assessment

(8.6/8.8) Question 1 Part A

What is Allegra Ringo’s Main claim in the article,

“Why Do Some Brains Enjoy Fear?” (2 pts)

• Allegra does not take a strong stand on this issue; rather, she only aims to inform her readers on important events that lead a person to experience fear.

• Allegra argues that everyone enjoys being afraid, and that people can only experience such a state when they are in a life-threatening situation.

• Allegra argues that people need to take action when it comes to learning coping strategies on how to deal with fear-causing situations.

• Allegra describes what specifically causes fear and what happen in the mind and body when someone experiences fear.

(8.6/8.8) Question 1 Part B

Which two pieces of text evidence most strongly supports Allegra’s points? (4 pts)

• Not everyone enjoys being afraid, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that no one wants to experience a truly life-threating situation.

• First, the natural high from the fight-or-flight response can feel great.

• One of the main hormones released during scary and thrilling activities is dopamine, and it turns out some individuals may get more a kick form this dopamine response than others do.

• Each culture has its own superhero monsters, but they all have a number of characteristics in common.

• Our bodies have evolved to make sure we feel close to those we are with when afraid makes sense.

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(8.8) Question 2

Is Poe’s use of suspense

in The Cask of Amontillado

effective? (2 pts)

• No, because he is more focused on using figurative language such as foreshadowing, irony, and symbolism to create imagery for his reader than he does to use it to create suspense.

• No, because he is more focused on convincing the reader how “mad” his character is.

• Yes, because he not only uses figurative language (such as foreshadowing, irony and symbolism, which leads the reader slowly down a path of understanding of how Fortunado will meet his fate), but he also offers Fortunato chances along the way to escape his fate.

• Yes, because his threatening tone at the beginning of the story sets the stage for Fortunato's ultimate demise.

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(RL 8.6) Question 3

Which words from “The Cask of Amontillado” BEST show that this excerpt is written in first person point of view. (2 pts)

• “He ventured upon insult ”

• “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could.”

• “You who so well know the nature of my soul.”

• “‘Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity.”

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(RL 8.6) Question 4 Part A

How do you think Poe’s view of fear

differs from that of Allegra Ringo? (2 pts)

• Poe and Allegra both believe that that everyone want to experience fear.

• The text from the Cask of Amontillado, “I heard the furious vibrations of the chain. The noise lasted for several minutes, during which, that I might harken to it with the more satisfaction, I ceased my labors and sat down.” leads the reader to believe that Poe’s character actually takes pleasure in other people’s fear, whereas Allegra believes that not everyone wants to experience fear, but by doing so it can actually bring people closer together.

• The text from the Cask of Amontillado, “My heart grew sick from the dampness of the catacombs.” Both Poe and Allegra would agree that the narrator experienced a thrilling chemical release (dopamine) after experiencing the thrill of encasing his victim behind a wall.

• Both Poe and Allegra believe that a good scary story can help prepare kids for life in the scary world and help control their behavior.

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(RL/RI 8.2/8.5) Question 5

What is a common overall theme/central message in both texts? (2 pts)

• A natural high can come from the flight-or-flight fear response.

• We are our own monsters.

• Everyone enjoys being scared for fun.

• A special closeness (bond) forms between two people when they are afraid.

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(RL 8.1/8.5) Question 6

How does the text structure of each text contribute to the overall theme/central message of both texts? (2 pts)

• The non-fiction article “Why Do Some Brains Enjoy Fear?” provides specific examples of how the fight-or-flight response effects human behavior. Whereas “The Cask of Amontillado,” provides one example of how one fictitious character is effected by the fight-or-flight response.

• The non-fiction article “Why Do Some Brains Enjoy Fear?” addressed the broad issue of how fear effects human behavior. Where as “The Cask of Amontillado,” provides specific examples.

• The non-fiction article “Why Do Some Brains Enjoy Fear?” discusses specific traumatic issues fear can have upon a person’s psyche, whereas the “The Cask of Amontillado,” is mainly concerned with how one person’s mind was effected when he was placed into a traumatic situation.

• The non-fiction article, “Why Do Some Brains Enjoy Fear?” provides a clear explanation as to why people enjoy fear while “the Cask of Amontillado” relies heavily on dialogue which makes how Fortunado feels when he is placed in a traumatic situation unclear.

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