Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Baccalaureate

Literary Fiction and Human Complexity

Reading Comprehension Answers

1. To commit a crime.
2. Who are consistent and predictable.
3. That people are complex beings that often defy expectations.

4. Literary Fiction's Impact

   Readers of literary fiction develop an awareness that people are complex beings that often defy expectations. Readers become emotionally involved with the characters.

5. Vocabulary in Context

   1. take into account
   2. infer
   3. reinforces
   4. defy
   5. fight

Vocabulary Exercises: Phrasal Verbs and Definitions

Exercise 1: Phrasal Verb Matching

1. turn up
2. brought up
3. take out
4. back up (support)
5. go on
6. give away
7. put down
8. back up (copy/reverse)

Exercise 2: Contextual Meanings

1. trust him
2. have space
3. we gave up our search
4. be careful
5. was caught in the end
6. of value

Exercise 3: Crime and Justice Terminology

1. guilty
2. raised
3. trial
4. forced
5. turn

NATIONALISM: devotion to the interests and culture of one's nation.

Beowulf: An Epic Poem

Beowulf is a foundational work of English literature, an epic poem with a rich history and profound themes.

Key Characteristics of Beowulf

• Genre: Epic Poem
• Publication: Circa 11th century in England (manuscript)
• Composition: Believed to have been composed between 700 and 750 CE
• Original Language: Old English
• Oral Tradition: First told orally and passed on from poet to poet before being written down.
• Author: Anonymous
• Setting: Scandinavia
• Literary Device: Extensive use of alliteration
• Preservation: The original manuscript is preserved in the British Museum.

Core Values in Beowulf

• Courage
• Pride
• Loyalty

Significance of Beowulf

1. It is the longest poem written in Old English.
2. It is considered the first example of poetry in a European language

Understanding Credit, Debt, and Insurance

Credit Rule of Thumb: Product should outlive its payment; don't use credit if the purchase is beyond earnings capability.

Factors That Influence Credit Score:

• Billing history (35%)
• Length of bill payment history (15%)
• Amount owed (30%)
• New credit lines (10%)
• Types of credit (10%)

FICO Score:

300-850; above 800 is great; below 620 is not good (high risk); 40% of Americans have a score under 600.

Credit Bureaus:

TransUnion, Equifax, Experian (each has its own credit score).

Types of Entries in a Credit Report:

• Identifying Info
• Public Records (bankruptcies, civil judgments, and tax liens)
• Inquiries
  • Soft Inquiries (i.e., a credit

Gun Control

The Debate on Teachers Carrying Guns

After the incident that happened in Florida last February, Donald Trump proposed that teachers should carry guns in schools. Is this the best solution?

I think it is one of the worst ideas he could have suggested. Both teachers and students could be affected, regardless of age, as it depends on the individual's mindset.

Despite the occurrence of many crimes like this, I cannot understand why some people support the sale of weapons.

Nevertheless, there are people who are beginning to speak out against it, and this is a positive development.

The Need for Stricter Gun Laws

The first step we should take is to ban the sale of weapons worldwide. If we achieve this, things will change.

Feminism

The #MeToo Movement

This... Continue reading "Social Issues in the 21st Century: Gun Control, Feminism, and Immigration" »

Change and religious conflicts. Reformation and Counter-Reformation

The causes of the Reformation

• Disdain for the papacy and clergy: People believed that popes were concerned with their own interests; bishops lived a life of luxury and didn't reside in their dioceses; lower-ranking clergy lacked education, didn't preach and failed to set a moral example; and religious orders didn't adhere to the established rules.
• The abuses of the Church: Nepotism, favouritism by the high-ranking clergy towards members of their own family when allocating ecclesiastic positions; nicolaism, marriage practiced by priests; simony, the sale of ecclesiastic posts. Pope, bishops and cardinals sold forgiveness for sins to whoever bought a document of indulgences.

Reforms

Global Discoveries and Early Modern Journeys

The Portuguese Explorations

The Portuguese prince, Henry the Navigator, encouraged the development of navigation skills and the exploration of the African coast. There was considerable rivalry with Castilla in this region, but it was resolved with the signing of the Treaty of Alcáçovas in 1479.

The treaty granted Castilla the right to conquer the Canary Islands, while Portugal was allowed to explore the African coast south of Cape Bojador.

Key Portuguese achievements included:

• Reaching Cape Bojador in 1431.
• Reaching the Gulf of Guinea in 1460.
• In 1487, Bartolomeu Dias successfully rounded the Cape of Good Hope.
• In 1498, Vasco da Gama reached India, establishing a direct sea route.

Castilla and the Discovery

Ars Nova

Ars nova

• Polyphonic, French music
• New system of notation
• Note values to be divided into two or three parts
• Plus different levels of division
  • Mode (long) - perfect / imperfect
    • Triple is perfect / duple is imperfect
  • Time (breve) - perfect / imperfect
  • Prolation (semibreve) - major and minor
    • Major is triple / minor is duple

Philippe de Vitry

Philippe de Vitry

Cum statua / Hugo, Hugo / Magister Invidiae

• Note values
• Isorhythmic motet
• A structural principle
• Tenor: talea and color(es)
• Color
  • Repeat of melodies in a phrase
• Talea
  • Repeat of rhythm in a phrase
• Hocket

Polyphonic Mass Cycle

Polyphonic mass cycle

• Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei
• Use same number of voices, rhythm, melodies among the setting movements
• Ite, missa est is the 6-1-

Guillaume de Machaut

Guillaume

The Exordium: Setting Your Position

This is where you set out your position. It’s the point at which you establish your bona fides as a communicator, aiming to grab the audience's attention and hope to keep it. The strongest appeals tend to come here.

The purpose of the exordium is to put the audience into a receptive and attentive frame of mind. The main objective is to get the audience well-disposed. We structure the material to connect with the recipient, producing a favorable attitude toward the position defended by the speaker.

There are two types of exordium, depending on the degree of defensibility of the case:

• Predisposition: Used when the case is easy to defend.
• Overture: Used when the degree of defensibility is low.

Winning the Recipient'

The Writer's Secret Mission

Motives for Traveling to Poland

The writer traveled to Poland for revenge, intending to assassinate a political leader. This mission followed a two-week hunting trip.

True Motive: Revenge for a Beloved

His true motivation for attempting to kill the leader of Quive-Smith's country was revenge for the harm inflicted upon his beloved.

Assassination Preparation: The Catapult

The writer prepared to kill Quive-Smith by constructing a primitive catapult. This device was designed to shoot a sharp piece of metal at high speed through a ventilation hole, aiming to strike Q-S.

Survival and Escape

Surviving the Cliff Fall

He survived his fall by landing in a small, deep marsh.

The Trousers Incident

He took all the trousers to make it appear... Continue reading "A Quest for Vengeance: A Hidden Narrative of Survival" »