Ap English Civil War Short Response Prompts

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1. Short-response prompt (15 points)
Read the following excerpt from Patrick Henry's speech to the Convention of Delegates in Virginia (1775):
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, peace, peace — but there is no peace. The war is actually begun. The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!
In your response, discuss how this part of the speech fits into …show more content…

The last paragraph will surely inherent thesis from the main passage, which have demonstrated the inevitability of the war and Independence and American capability to win the war. The last paragraph is not exception. ‘The war is actually begun’ is the best sentence in this paragraph to show the overall thesis of the speech and this excerpt.’The gale has already sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have?’ He asked several rhetoric questions to strengthen his tone, to make it strong and determined , to convince audience that the war is right on the corner, don’t pray for place anymore, get ready for the battle please. By those measures, Patrick Henry appealed to pathos, he wanted the emotion and shouting for war and victory, which is exactly the purpose of his speech. However, in the speech, his voice and tone seemed to be not so strong as he appeared in the last paragraph, in other parts of the speech, he appealed to logos and ethos more often, his purpose was to convince people with brain, and rationality. Certainly it worked, but not enough, people now was knew the necessity of war, but not the enthusiasm about the war. The last paragraph burned the passion of people, and thus fit and strengthen the expression of the thesis and purpose of the overall …show more content…

Short-response prompt (15 points)
In a speech to high school students, a business owner makes the following statement: "Nowadays a high school diploma alone will get you nowhere in life."

Write a short argument either for or against this statement. Be sure to include a clear claim and to provide and respond to at least one counterclaim. Use specific details from your own experiences and observations to develop your argument.

If the meaning of ‘a high school diploma alone’ literally means a piece of paper that simply certificate one’s participant and graduation from high school. Well, that piece of paper will never get anyone any single place. However, if this diploma means real ‘education’, skills and intellectual capability that a high school students should own, then one actually is up to basically all places around the

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