Georgia Common Core Coach, CCGPS Edition, American Literature, Level II

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Duplicatinganypartofthisbookisprohibitedbylaw.©2014TriumphLearning,LLC
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Contents
Unit 1 — Literature
Lesson 1: Reading Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Whole Class One Thousand Dollars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Small Group excerpts from Youth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Independent Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Lesson 2: Reading Poetry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Whole Class On Imagination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Small Group Patterns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Lesson 3: Reading Drama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Whole Class Trifles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Small Group Tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Lesson 4: Comparing Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Whole Class an excerpt from Sister Carrie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Small Group abridged from Life in the Iron Mills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Unit 2 — Informational Text
Lesson 5: Reading Articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Whole Class abridged from The Facts of Reconstruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Small Group Nikola Tesla Sees a Wireless Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Independent Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Common Core
Georgia Performance
Standards (GPS)
RL.11–12.1, RL.11–12.2,
RL.11–12.3, RL.11–12.4,
RL.11–12.5, RL.11–12.6,
RL.11–12.10, SL.11–12.1,
L.11–12.4.a
RL.11–12.2, RL.11–12.4,
RL.11–12.5, RL.11–12.10,
SL.11–12.1, L.11–12.4.b
RL.11–12.1, RL.11–12.2,
RL.11–12.3, RL.11–12.4,
RL.11–12.5, RL.11–12.10,
SL.11–12.1, L.11–12.4.a
RL.11–12.1, RL.11–12.2,
RL.11–12.3, RL.11–12.4,
RL.11–12.5, RL.11–12.6,
RL.11–12.9, RL.11–12.10,
SL.11–12.1
RI.11–12.1, RI.11–12.2,
RI.11–12.3, RI.11–12.4,
RI.11–12.5, RI.11–12.6,
RI.11–12.10, SL.11–12.1,
L.11–12.6
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Lesson 6: Reading Persuasive Texts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Whole Class abridged from On the Duty of Civil Disobedience. . . . . . . 114
Small Group Hybrid and Electric Vehicles—Drive Green. . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Lesson 7: Reading Historical Documents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Whole Class The Federalist Papers No. 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Small Group Address to the Illinois Republican State Convention. . . . . 148
Lesson 8: Reading Scientific and Technical Texts. . . . . . . 159
Whole Class A New Energy Source: Hydraulic Fracturing. . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Small Group The Science of Fingerprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Lesson 9: Reading Internet Sources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Whole Class Remember the Digital Divide?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Small Group The Divide Isn’t Just Digital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Lesson 10: Comparing Informational Texts. . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Whole Class Boom and Bust: California’s Gold Rush. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Small Group The Discovery of Gold In California. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Common Core
Georgia Performance
Standards (GPS)
RI.11–12.1, RI.11–12.2,
RI.11–12.3, RI.11–12.5,
RI.11–12.6, RI.11–12.10,
SL.11–12.1, L.11–12.5.b,
L.11–12.6
RI.11–12.1, RI.11–12.2,
RI.11–12.3, RI.11–12.4,
RI.11–12.5, RI.11–12.6,
RI.11–12.8, RI.11–12.9,
RI.11–12.10, SL.11–12.1,
L.11–12.6
RI.11–12.1, RI.11–12.2,
RI.11–12.3, RI.11–12.4,
RI.11–12.5, RI.11–12.6,
RI.11–12.7, RI.11–12.10,
SL.11–12.1
RI.11–12.1, RI.11–12.2,
RI.11–12.3, RI.11–12.6,
RI.11–12.10, SL.11–12.1,
L.11–12.5.a, L.11–12.5.d
RI.11–12.1, RI.11–12.2,
RI.11–12.3, RI.11–12.4,
RI.11–12.5, RI.11–12.6,
RI.11–12.7, RI.11–12.10,
SL.11–12.1
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Reading
Poetry
Lesson
2
Although poems are often short in length,
they are long on meaning. Poets carefully
choose each word and take full advantage of
the layers of meaning made possible through
effective use of language.
Twentieth-century political philosopher
Hannah Arendt described poetry elegantly:
“Poetry, whose material is language, is
perhaps the most human and least worldly
of the arts, the one in which the end product
remains closest to the thought that inspired
it.” Actively participating in understanding
a poem’s meaning is like engaging in a
conversation with the poet. Readers strive
to know the deeper thoughts and feelings
behind the relatively few words used to
express them.
This lesson includes a poem by Phillis
Wheatley (c. 1753–1784), an enslaved African
American woman. She was highly regarded
both in America and abroad for her poetry.
The second poem is by Amy Lowell (1874–
1925). Born into a life of privilege ninety years
after Wheatley’s death, Lowell enjoyed similar
esteem for her work.
These two very different women shared
a common belief in the importance of free
will and a free spirit. As you read, notice
their word choice and use of imagery and
figurative language.
Lesson 2 • Reading Poetry Reading Poetry 27
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Consider
1 Thy various works, imperial queen, we see,
How bright their forms! How deck’d with pomp by thee!
Thy wond’rous acts in beauteous order stand,
And all attest how potent is thine hand.
5 From Helicon’s1
refulgent heights attend,
Ye sacred choir, and my attempts befriend:
to tell her glories with a faithful tongue,
Ye blooming graces, triumph in my song.
Now here, now there, the roving Fancy flies,
10 Till some lov’d object strikes her wand’ring eyes,
Whose silken fetters all the senses bind,
And soft captivity involves the mind.
by Phillis Wheatley
On Imagination
What special gifts do poets have?
How important is imagination?
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Personification is the author’s
treatment of an abstract concept
as a person. In line 1, Wheatley
personifies imagination as a
queen. Why is this a powerful way
to explore an abstract, creative
ability? As you read, highlight
phrases that make the “queen”
come to life for you.
STRUCTURE Quatrains are four-
line stanzas used to structure
poetry. Wheatley structures the
first stanza in three quatrains with
an aabb rhyming scheme. How
does the rhythm of these stanzas
add to the feeling that these are
verses in a song of praise?
ALLUSION Authors often allude
to, or reference, other literary
works, myths, or beliefs. Wheatley
makes several references to Greek
and Roman mythology. As you
read, circle the allusions Wheatley
makes. Why might she make these
connections?
Whole Class
1
Mount Helicon a place loved by the muses in Greek mythology, goddesses of
the arts and sciences. A spring on the mountain was a source of poetic
inspiration.
28 Lesson 2 • Reading Poetry Reading Poetry
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Whole Class
Imagination! Who can sing thy force?
Or who describe the swiftness of thy course?
15 Soaring through air to find the bright abode,
Th’ empyreal palace of the thund’ring God,
We on thy pinions can surpass the wind,
And leave the rolling universe behind:
From star to star the mental optics rove,
20 Measure the skies, and range the realms above.
There in one view we grasp the mighty whole,
Or with new worlds amaze th’ unbounded soul.
STRUCTURE An ode is a poem
that opens with quatrains and
shifts to longer verses of ten lines,
written in praise of something or
someone. Wheatley uses this
structure in lines 1–22. Why does
she choose the ode format?
CENTRAL IDEA A central idea,
what the text is mainly about,
appears throughout a poem.
Underline words that reveal the
central idea in the third and
fourth stanzas. What does
Wheatley indicate about how
people can be freed from whatever
enslaves them?
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Wheatley opens the fourth stanza
with a poetic device known as an
apostrophe, which is a direct
address to the subject of the ode.
What is the effect of this device?
Patterns of Word Changes
Different suffixes can change a word’s meaning and part of speech.
When you come across an unknown word, break it into its parts to
determine its meaning.
beauteous captivity unbounded
disclose expanse
Vocabulary Strategy
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Though Winter frowns to Fancy’s raptur’d eyes
The fields may flourish, and gay scenes arise;
25 The frozen deeps may break their iron bands,
And bid their waters murmur o’er the sands.
Fair Flora may resume her fragrant reign,
And with her flow’ry riches deck the plain;
Sylvanus2
may diffuse his honours round,
30 And all the forest may with leaves be crown’d:
Show’rs may descend, and dews their gems disclose,
And nectar sparkle on the blooming rose.
Such is thy pow’r, nor are thine orders vain,
O thou the leader of the mental train:
35 In full perfection all thy works are wrought,
And thine the scepter o’er the realms of thought.
Before thy throne the subject-passions bow,
Of subject-passions sov’reign ruler thou;
At thy command joy rushes on the heart,
40 And through the glowing veins the spirits dart.
CENTRAL IDEA A poet develops
and expands on central ideas
throughout the poem. What
reference to captivity can you
find in the fifth stanza? How does
this help you understand what
Winter represents to Wheatley?
SENSORY LANGUAGE Poets
often use words that appeal to the
senses to help the reader visualize
a scene or feel an emotion. In the
fifth stanza, underline words that
help you see, hear, smell, and feel
elements of the scene. Explain the
effects of these words.
WORD CHOICE Authors care-
fully choose words to evoke a
specific meaning or tone. In the
sixth stanza, what words does
Wheatley choose to emphasize the
power of imagination? How do
they contribute to the poem?
2
Sylvanus the Roman god of the forest, groves, fields, and flocks
CHECK IN Make sure you understand what you have read so far by
answering the following question: Summarize the most important ideas
and details. How do they support the central idea?
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Whole Class
Fancy might now her silken pinions try
To rise from earth, and sweep th’ expanse on high:
From Tithon’s bed now might Aurora rise3
,
Her cheeks all glowing with celestial dies,
45 While a pure stream of light o’erflows the skies.
The monarch of the day I might behold,
And all the mountains tipt with radiant gold,
But I reluctant leave the pleasing views,
Which Fancy dresses to delight the Muse;
50 Winter austere forbids me to aspire,
And northern tempests damp the rising fire;
They chill the tides of Fancy’s flowing sea,
Cease then, my song, cease the unequal lay.
AESTHETIC IMPACT Authors
often structure a text to heighten
its meaning. In this poem,
Wheatley ends with the longest
verse, which is thirteen lines. How
does this choice indicate a build in
momentum?
TONE The tone of a poem is the
poet’s feelings or attitude toward
the subject of the poem. The tone
can shift as the subject changes,
so it is important to pay attention
to a poet’s word choice, which
helps indicate the poet’s feelings.
Read lines 50–53. How does the
tone of the poem shift at the end
as Winter takes over?
3
Tithon . . . Aurora In a Roman myth, Tithonus, sometimes called Tithon, was
a mortal loved by Aurora, goddess of the dawn. She married him and pleaded
that he might be given immortality to remain with her forever. Her wish was
granted, but she forgot to ask that he also be given eternal youth. So Tithonus
never stopped aging. He wasted away in his bed in a room to which Aurora
confined him.
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Whole Class
Copy the following chart on a separate sheet of paper. Complete the chart with
words or phrases from “On Imagination” that use sensory language. Then,
choose one idea from the poem and describe it with your own sensory language,
providing an example for each sense.
Sight Hearing Taste Smell Touch
“On Imagination”
Idea:
Try It
Engaging Language
The foundation of poetry is language, so poets must apply the ultimate artistry to
the language they use. The best poets devise fresh, new ways to describe people,
feelings, or things. In these lines, Wheatley describes the moment when something
“catches your fancy” in a unique way so that you pay attention to it.
Till some lov’d object strikes her wand’ring eyes,
Whose silken fetters all the senses bind,
And soft captivity involves the mind.
At thy command joy rushes on the heart,
And through the glowing veins the spirits dart.
Her cheeks all glowing with celestial dies,
While a pure stream of light o’erflows the skies.
Poets also seek to capture our imaginations by appealing to our senses. This
way, the readers can experience what is being described. How does Wheatley
engage your imagination with these lines from “On Imagination”?
Finally, poets may strive to move readers with the sheer beauty of the words they
choose. They combine word choice, rhyme, and rhythm to create lovely, lyrical lines.
Take this example from “On Imagination”:
CC13_ELA_L2A_L2_SE 32 5/9/13 7:39 AM

Whole Class
Vocabulary Strategy
Patterns of Word Changes
Certain suffixes can change a word’s meaning and part of speech. Read
the definition of each word below. Use what you know about patterns of word
changes to write the part of speech and a definition for each word related to the
vocabulary word. Then write a sentence using the vocabulary word. (You may
use a separate sheet of paper if you run out of room below.)
1. beauteous (adjective) lovely, fair
beauty
2. captivity (noun) the state of being taken and held
captivate
3. unbounded (adjective) being or seeming to be without limits
unboundedly
4. disclose (verb) to make known
disclosure
5. expanse (noun) a wide space or area
expand
Comprehension Check
Answer these questions about the selection you have just read. Use details from
the selection to support your responses.
1. Many odes feature nature prominently. How is this true of “On Imagination”?
2. At age seven, Phillis Wheatley was captured by slave traders in Africa and taken
to Boston, where the Wheatley family bought her to serve in their household.
They taught Phillis to read and write, privileges most slaves did not have,
and she was a gifted student. How does knowing her background help you
understand the poem?
3. What examples in the poem show that imagination is important to Phillis?
CC13_ELA_L2A_L2_SE 33 5/9/13 7:39 AM

Small Group
Consider
1 I walk down the garden paths,
And all the daffodils
Are blowing, and the bright blue squills.
I walk down the patterned garden paths
5 In my stiff, brocaded gown.
With my powdered hair and jewelled fan,
I too am a rare
Pattern. As I wander down
The garden paths.
10 My dress is richly figured,
And the train
Makes a pink and silver stain
On the gravel, and the thrift
Of the borders.
15 Just a plate of current fashion,
Tripping by in high-heeled, ribboned shoes.
Not a softness anywhere about me,
Only whale-bone and brocade.
And I sink on a seat in the shade
20 Of a lime tree. For my passion
Wars against the stiff brocade.
The daffodils and squills
Flutter in the breeze
As they please.
25 And I weep;
For the lime tree is in blossom
And one small flower has dropped upon my bosom.
by Amy Lowell
Do patterns create order, or do they only result in restrictions?
In what patterns of behavior are you stuck?
STRUCTURE How does the repe-
tition of phrases in the first stanza
match the title of the poem?
ENGAGING LANGUAGE In the
second stanza, how does Lowell
describe the train? What feelings
do these words evoke?
CENTRAL IDEA Circle words in
the second stanza that indicate
how the narrator feels about
the dress. What does the dress
symbolize?
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Small Group
And the splashing of waterdrops
In the marble fountain
30 Comes down the garden paths.
The dripping never stops.
Underneath my stiffened gown
Is the softness of a woman bathing in a marble basin,
A basin in the midst of hedges grown
35 So thick, she cannot see her lover hiding,
But she guesses he is near,
And the sliding of the water
Seems the stroking of a dear
Hand upon her.
40 What is Summer in a fine brocaded gown!
I should like to see it lying in a heap upon the ground.
All the pink and silver crumpled up on the ground.
I would be the pink and silver as I ran along the paths,
And he would stumble after,
45 Bewildered by my laughter.
I should see the sun flashing from his sword-hilt and the buckles
on his shoes.
I would choose
To lead him in a maze along the patterned paths,
A bright and laughing maze for my heavy-booted lover,
50 Till he caught me in the shade,
And the buttons of his waistcoat bruised my body as he clasped me,
Aching, melting, unafraid.
With the shadows of the leaves and the sundrops,
And the plopping of the waterdrops,
55 All about us in the open afternoon
I am very like to swoon
With the weight of this brocade,
For the sun shifts through the shade.
SENSORY LANGUAGE Circle
words in the third stanza that help
you hear and feel what the woman
experiences. What is the purpose
of this language?
TONE How would you describe
the shifts in tone at the end of the
third stanza and the beginning of
the fourth stanza?
WORD CHOICE In the third
stanza, the water in the fountain
is described as dripping. In the
fourth stanza, the water drops
are plopping. How does Lowell’s
choice of words match what is
happening in the poem?
CC13_ELA_L2A_L2_SE 35 5/9/13 7:40 AM

Underneath the fallen blossom
60 In my bosom,
Is a letter I have hid.
It was brought to me this morning by a rider from the Duke.
“Madam, we regret to inform you that Lord Hartwell
Died in action Thursday sen’night.”
65 As I read it in the white, morning sunlight,
The letters squirmed like snakes.
“Any answer, Madam,” said my footman.
“No,” I told him.
“See that the messenger takes some refreshment.
70 No, no answer.”
And I walked into the garden,
Up and down the patterned paths,
In my stiff, correct brocade.
The blue and yellow flowers stood up proudly in the sun,
75 Each one.
I stood upright too,
Held rigid to the pattern
By the stiffness of my gown.
Up and down I walked,
80 Up and down.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Underline the figurative language
Lowell uses in the fifth stanza.
What is the effect of this
comparison?
CENTRAL IDEA The woman
once again seems to be physically
uncomfortable in her gown. Circle
the words that reveal the restric-
tions forced upon her.
STRUCTURE Earlier in the
poem, the woman wept when a
lime blossom fell onto her. How
does the poet use this image
to foreshadow the news the
woman has received?
PATTERNS OF WORD
CHANGES What is the base word
and part of speech of fallen? How
does the suffix change the mean-
ing of the word and part of speech?
CC13_ELA_L2A_L2_SE 36 5/9/13 7:40 AM

Small Group
In a month he would have been my husband.
In a month, here, underneath this lime,
We would have broke the pattern;
He for me, and I for him,
85 He as Colonel, I as Lady,
On this shady seat.
He had a whim
That sunlight carried blessing.
And I answered, “It shall be as you have said.”
90 Now he is dead.
In Summer and in Winter I shall walk
Up and down
The patterned garden paths
In my stiff, brocaded gown.
95 The squills and daffodils
Will give place to pillared roses, and to asters, and to snow.
I shall go
Up and down,
In my gown.
100 Gorgeously arrayed,
Boned and stayed.
And the softness of my body will be guarded from embrace
By each button, hook, and lace.
For the man who should loose me is dead,
105 Fighting with the Duke in Flanders,
In a pattern called a war.
Christ! What are patterns for?
STRUCTURE Lowell has used
only two short sentences in the
poem so far. Underline these sen-
tences. Why does she choose to
use complete sentences to express
these ideas?
AESTHETIC IMPACT How do
the lines in the middle of the last
stanza differ from the language
used throughout the rest of the
poem? What is the impact?
WORD CHOICE Does the lan-
guage of the last line of the poem
fit the narrator we have come to
know? Why does Lowell choose to
have her speak this way?
CC13_ELA_L2A_L2_SE 37 5/9/13 7:40 AM

Small Group
Independent Projects
Your teacher may assign you one or both of the following performance tasks.
Investigate the Progressives’ beliefs in America around 1900.
Apply what you have learned about poetry to other poems written during
the American Revolution.
On Your Own
Application
“On Imagination” was published on
the eve of the American Revolution.
Read poems by other American poets
of that time period, such as Philip
Freneau, Hugh Henry Brackenridge,
or John Trumbull, and determine the
effect of the structure and word
choice on the theme and central idea.
How do their poems compare with
Wheatley’s? Write an opinion piece
explaining which poem is most
effective and why.
Inquiry
Amy Lowell’s poem was published
during the Progressive Era in the
United States. Research the
Progressives’ beliefs and the changes
they sought to implement. Prepare a
presentation explaining Progressive
beliefs and inferring how Progressives
might have received the poem, citing
evidence from your research.
Discussion
Discuss these questions with your group, and together write a paragraph in response to each
question. Provide evidence to support your responses.
1. The narrator of the poem uses her imagination to free herself from the restrictions of her dress.
What can you conclude about Amy Lowell’s beliefs about the power of the imagination?
2. How does the narrator feel about her future? What does life hold for her now?
Comprehension Check
Answer these questions about the selection you have just read. Use details from the selection
to support your responses.
1. Identify the poetic patterns, patterns found in nature, and social patterns Lowell uses and
alludes to in the poem. Be sure to cite specific lines that demonstrate or support each pattern.
2. What prevents the narrator from falling apart when she receives the news of her lover’s
death? How does Lowell describe her behavior? Explain what this helps you understand
about the narrator as a character.
3. The narrator believes that if she and her lover were to marry, they would have “broke[n] the
pattern.” To what pattern is she referring? What is ironic about her belief that marrying this
particular man would break a pattern?
CC13_ELA_L2A_L2_SE 38 5/9/13 7:40 AM

Lesson
6Reading
Essays are works of nonfiction that focus
on one subject, often from the author’s
personal point of view. They can take any
number of forms, including autobiography,
criticism, political tracts, or observations on
everyday life. The first essay you will read in
this lesson, written in 1849 by one of America’s
most renowned authors, has provided a model
for political activists ever since. The second
is a present-day argument concerning carbon
emissions and hybrid/electric vehicles.
The poet and essayist Henry David Thoreau
(1817–1862) lived a simple life in a cabin in New
England, which provided the subject for his
book Walden, or Life in the Woods (1854). In
1846, he was arrested in nearby Concord,
Massachusetts, for refusing to pay his poll
tax, in protest of the U.S. government’s policy
on slavery. By the next morning, someone
had paid Thoreau’s poll tax and, despite his
objections, he was released from jail. This
experience led him to write On the Duty
of Civil Disobedience, of which you will read
an excerpt.
In the second selection, the author presents
an argument about a more contemporary
issue: the use of hybrid and electric vehicles.
These vehicles have grown in popularity in
recent years as people have become more
concerned about the impact of non-renewable
fuels on the environment. Read on to see how
both authors attempt to persuade readers to
adopt their perspectives.
Persuasive
Texts
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Whole Class
Consider How does a democracy limit individual freedoms?
How should an individual act upon his or her conscience?
POINT OF VIEW Point of view is
a particular way of seeing or con-
sidering a matter. Thoreau writes
that he agrees with the motto,
“That government is best which
governs least.” How does
Thoreau’s agreement help the
reader understand his point of
view? What should the reader
expect from the rest of the text?
1 I heartily accept the motto, “That government is best which
governs least”; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly
and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which
also I believe—“That government is best which governs not at all”;
and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of govern-
ment which they will have.
Government is at best but an
expedient; but most govern-
ments are usually, and all
governments are sometimes,
inexpedient. The objections
which have been brought
against a standing army1
, and
they are many and weighty, and
deserve to prevail, may also at
last be brought against a stand-
ing government. The standing
army is only an arm of the
standing government. The gov-
ernment itself, which is only
the mode which the people have
chosen to execute their will, is
equally liable to be abused and
perverted before the people can
act through it. Witness the
present Mexican war2
, the work of comparatively a few individuals
using the standing government as their tool; for in the outset, the
people would not have consented to this measure.
On the Duty of
Civil Disobedience
abridged from
by Henry David Thoreau
RHETORIC Rhetoric is the art of
speaking or writing persuasively.
Thoreau compares the objections
against a standing army to
his objections against a standing
government. Is this comparison
convincing? Explain.
1
standing army professional, permanent army
2
Mexican war conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848
in the wake of U.S. annexation of Texas
Whole Class
Consider
Henry David Thoreau was an
American author and philosopher
who lived from 1817 to 1862.
114 Lesson 6 • Reading Persuasive Texts
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Whole Class
This American government—what is it but a tradition, though a
recent one, endeavoring to transmit itself unimpaired to posterity,
but each instant losing some of its integrity? It has not the vitality
and force of a single living man; for a single man can bend it to his
will. It is a sort of wooden gun to the people themselves. But it is
not the less necessary for this; for the people must have some com-
plicated machinery or other, and hear its din, to satisfy that idea
of government which they have and Mexico in the wake of U.S.
annexation of Governments show thus how successfully men
can be imposed upon, even impose on themselves, for their own
advantage. It is excellent, we must all allow. Yet this government
never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with
which it got out of its way. It does not keep the country free. It does
not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in
the American people has done all that has been accomplished;
and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had
not sometimes got in its way. For government is an expedient, by
which men would fain succeed in letting one another alone; and,
POINT OF VIEW An author’s
point of view, or attitude toward a
subject, is often revealed through
word choice and style. Note how
Thoreau writes that government
“does not keep the country free.
It does not settle the West. It does
not educate.” What distinction
is Thoreau making? Why is this
distinction important?
STYLE An author’s style
includes elements such as
sentence structure and length,
concise or wordy language, tone,
pacing, and anything else that
makes the writing unique. Thoreau
uses the phrase “It does not . . . “
three times. What does his use of
this repetition accomplish?
RHETORIC An analogy is a
rhetorical technique that links one
idea with another. What analogy is
Thoreau making in paragraph 2?
How is this comparison an effec-
tive rhetorical tool?
Shades of Meaning
Some words that have similar definitions can have different
connotations. They can evoke a meaning that is different from their
primary one. Look for biased word choices as you read the selection.
heartily expediency wrested
gregariousness excommunicate
Vocabulary Strategy
In September of 1846, about five months after the Mexican-American
War began, U.S. troops marched on Monterrey.
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as has been said, when it is most expedient, the governed are
most let alone by it. Trade and commerce, if they were not made
of india-rubber3
, would never manage to bounce over obstacles
which legislators are continually putting in their way; and if one
were to judge these men wholly by the effects of their actions and
not partly by their intentions, they would deserve to be classed
and punished with those mischievious persons who put obstruc-
tions on the railroads.
But, to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who
call themselves no-government men, I ask for, not at once no gov-
ernment, but at once a better government. Let every man make
known what kind of government would command his respect,
and that will be one step toward obtaining it.
RHETORIC An important
rhetorical technique is the use of
rhetorical questions—questions
to which the answer is obvious or
implied by the author. Thoreau
asks, “Why has every man a
conscience then?” What implied
answer does he give? What obliga-
tion does he think we incur as a
result of having a conscience?
CENTRAL IDEA The central idea
of a section of text is the main
point or argument. The central
idea of this section is that the
power and impulse to do things
is located in individuals, not in
groups of individuals. How do the
ideas presented in paragraph 4
support the central idea?
3
india-rubber natural rubber
4
powder-monkeys boys who carry powder to the guns
answering the following question: How does Thoreau feel about
government?
After all, the practical reason why, when the power is once in
the hands of the people, a majority are permitted, and for a long
period continue, to rule is not because they are most likely to be
in the right, nor because this seems fairest to the minority, but
because they are physically the strongest. But a government in
which the majority rule in all cases can not be based on justice,
even as far as men understand it. Can there not be a government
in which the majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong,
but conscience?—in which majorities decide only those questions
to which the rule of expediency is applicable? Must the citizen
ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to
the legislator? Why has every man a conscience then? I think that
we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable
to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only
obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what
I think right. It is truly enough said that a corporation has no con-
science; but a corporation of conscientious men is a corporation
with a conscience. Law never made men a whit more just; and,
by means of their respect for it, even the well-disposed are daily
made the agents on injustice. A common and natural result of
an undue respect for the law is, that you may see a file of soldiers,
colonel, captain, corporal, privates, powder-monkeys4
, and all,
marching in admirable order over hill and dale to the wars,
against their wills, ay, against their common sense and con-
sciences, which makes it very steep marching indeed, and
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Whole Class
produces a palpitation of the heart. They have no doubt that it
is damnable business in which they are concerned; they are all
peaceably inclined. Now, what are they? Men at all? or small mov-
able forts and magazines5
, at the service of some unscrupulous
man in power? Visit the Navy Yard, and behold a marine, such
a man as an American government can make, or such as it can
make a man with its black arts—a mere shadow and reminiscence
of humanity, a man laid out alive and standing, and already, as
one may say, buried under arms with funeral accompaniment,
though it may be,
“Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note,
As his corse to the rampart we hurried;
Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot
O’er the grave where our hero was buried.”6
5 The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men mainly, but as
machines, with their bodies. They are the standing army, and the
militia, jailers, constables, posse comitatus,7
etc. In most cases
there is no free exercise whatever of the judgement or of the moral
sense; but they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and
5
magazines stores of arms for military operations
6
from the poem “The Burial of Sir John Moore” by Charles Wolfe
7
posse comitatus the men in a county the sheriff could summon to enforce
the law
RHETORIC Often, a goal of writ-
ing is to change the way people
think about or see a particular
topic. Thoreau again employs an
analogy in paragraph 5. Here, he
compares soldiers to machines or
mere bodies. How does this anal-
ogy effectively support his larger
point about government?
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE The
reason the author writes a text
is the author’s purpose. Thoreau
states that people go off to war
even when it is against their own
conscience. What is he trying
to convince people to do or
believe? Why?
This painting, entitled “Flight of the Mexican Army,” shows the
conclusion of the Battle of Buena Vista in February of 1847.
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stones; and wooden men can perhaps be manufactured that will
serve the purpose as well. Such command no more respect than
men of straw or a lump of dirt. They have the same sort of worth
only as horses and dogs. Yet such as these even are commonly
esteemed good citizens. Others—as most legislators, politicians,
lawyers, ministers, and office-holders—serve the state chiefly with
their heads; and, as they rarely make any moral distinctions, they
are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God. A very
few—as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense,
and men—serve the state with their consciences also, and so nec-
essarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated
as enemies by it. A wise man will only be useful as a man, and will
not submit to be “clay,” and “stop a hole to keep the wind away,”
but leave that office to his dust at least:
“I am too high born to be propertied,
To be a second at control,
Or useful serving-man and instrument
To any sovereign state throughout the world.”8
He who gives himself entirely to his fellow men appears to
them useless and selfish; but he who gives himself partially to
them is pronounced a benefactor and philanthropist.
How does it become a man to behave toward the American
government today? I answer, that he cannot without disgrace
be associated with it. I cannot for an instant recognize that
political organization as my government which is the slave’s
government also.
DETAILS Authors use details as
evidence to support their argu-
ments. In paragraph 7, Thoreau
writes that to be associated with
the American government is dis-
graceful. What two facts does
he refer to in support of this
statement?
CENTRAL IDEA The central idea
is often restated throughout a
piece of writing. Thoreau argues
that people must use their con-
sciences, and not only their heads,
to guide their actions. What does
Thoreau think will happen if
people are not guided by
their consciences?
8
from Shakespeare’s “King John”
In September of 1847, the Battle of Chapultepec led to
the capture of Mexico City by the United States Army.
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Whole Class
All men recognize the right of revolution; that is, the right to
refuse allegiance to, and to resist, the government, when its tyr-
anny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable. But almost all
say that such is not the case now. But such was the case, they
think, in the Revolution of ’759
. If one were to tell me that this was
a bad government because it taxed certain foreign commodities
brought to its ports, it is most probable that I should not make an
ado about it, for I can do without them. All machines have their
friction; and possibly this does enough good to counter-balance
the evil. At any rate, it is a great evil to make a stir about it. But
when the friction comes to have its machine, and oppression and
robbery are organized, I say, let us not have such a machine any
longer. In other words, when a sixth of the population of a nation
which has undertaken to be the refuge of liberty are slaves, and a
whole country is unjustly overrun and conquered by a foreign
army, and subjected to military law, I think that it is not too soon
for honest men to rebel and revolutionize. What makes this duty
the more urgent is that fact that the country so overrun is not our
own, but ours is the invading army.
Paley10
, a common authority with many on moral questions, in
his chapter on the “Duty of Submission to Civil Government,”
9
Revolution of ’75 the American Revolution of 1775
10
Paley William Paley (1743–1805), English philosopher
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE The rea-
son the author has for writing is
the author’s purpose. Thoreau
compares the reasons for the
Revolutionary War to the injustice
of slavery and the invasion of
Mexico. What is the point of the
comparison?
The Boston Tea Party was an act of rebellion that led to the Revolutionary War.
ARGUMENT An argument
is a statement of perspective
supported by logical reasoning
and evidence. What is Thoreau
arguing in paragraph 8?
CC13_ELA_L2A_L6_SE 119 5/9/13 7:45 AM

OREGON IDAHO WYOMING
COLORADO
CALIFORNIA
NEVADA
UTAH
ARIZONA
TEXAS
NEW MEXICO
San Francisco
Salt Lake City
Phoenix
Denver
M E X I C O
PACIFIC OCEAN
M E X I C A N
C E S S I O N
Rio
Gran
de
Gila River
Colorado
R
iver
resolves all civil obligation into expediency; and he proceeds to
say that “so long as the interest of the whole society requires it,
that is, so long as the established government cannot be resisted
or changed without public inconvenience, it is the will of God . . .
that the established government be obeyed—and no longer. This
principle being admitted, the justice of every particular case of
resistance is reduced to a computation of the quantity of the
danger and grievance on the one side, and of the probability and
expense of redressing it on the other.” Of this, he says, every man
shall judge for himself. But Paley appears never to have contem-
plated those cases to which the rule of expediency does not apply,
in which a people, as well as an individual, must do justice, cost
what it may. If I have unjustly wrested a plank from a drowning
man, I must restore it to him though I drown myself. This, accord-
ing to Paley, would be inconvenient. But he that would save his
life, in such a case, shall lose it. This people must cease to hold
slaves, and to make war on Mexico, though it cost them their
existence as a people.
CONNECTIONS The connections
between ideas in a persuasive
text are important to the
validity of the overall argument.
What does Thoreau claim in
paragraph 9? How does it relate
to what Thoreau is saying about
slavery and war with Mexico?
Much of what is now the U.S. Southwest was land taken from Mexico
during a war in 1848.
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Whole Class
10 In their practice, nations agree with Paley; but does
anyone think that Massachusetts does exactly what is right
at the present crisis? . . .
. . . Practically speaking, the opponents to a reform in
Massachusetts are not a hundred thousand politicians at the
South, but a hundred thousand merchants and farmers here, who
are more interested in commerce and agriculture than they are in
humanity, and are not prepared to do justice to the slave and to
Mexico, cost what it may. I quarrel not with far-off foes, but with
those who, near at home, co-operate with, and do the bidding of,
those far away, and without whom the latter would be harmless.
We are accustomed to say, that the mass of men are unprepared;
but improvement is slow, because the few are not as materially
wiser or better than the many. It is not so important that many
should be good as you, as that there be some absolute goodness
somewhere; for that will leaven the whole lump. There are thou-
sands who are in opinion opposed to slavery and to the war, who
yet in effect do nothing to put an end to them; who, esteeming
themselves children of Washington and Franklin, sit down with
their hands in their pockets, and say that they know not what to
do, and do nothing; who even postpone the question of freedom
to the question of free trade, and quietly read the prices-current11
along with the latest advices from Mexico, after dinner, and, it
may be, fall asleep over them both. What is the price-current of an
honest man and patriot today? They hesitate, and they regret, and
11
price-current the price for which goods usually sell in the market
DETAILS Details are individual
facts that support a central idea. In
paragraph 11, a central idea is that
there are a number of practical
obstacles to reform. What details
does Thoreau give about the obsta-
cles to reform? What hope does he
offer that reform can occur?
Prior to the Civil War, the
slave trade was big business
in the United States.
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sometimes they petition; but they do nothing in earnest and with
effect. They will wait, well disposed, for other to remedy the evil,
that they may no longer have it to regret. At most, they give up only
a cheap vote, and a feeble countenance and Godspeed, to the
right, as it goes by them. There are nine hundred and ninety-nine
patrons of virtue to one virtuous man. But it is easier to deal with
the real possessor of a thing than with the temporary guardian
of it.
All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or backgammon,
with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and wrong, with
moral questions; and betting naturally accompanies it. The char-
acter of the voters is not staked. I cast my vote, perchance, as I
think right; but I am not vitally concerned that that right should
prevail. I am willing to leave it to the majority. Its obligation, there-
fore, never exceeds that of expediency. Even voting for the right is
doing nothing for it. It is only expressing to men feebly your desire
that it should prevail. A wise man will not leave the right to the
mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the
majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men.
When the majority shall at length vote for the abolition of slavery,
it will be because they are indifferent to slavery, or because there is
but little slavery left to be abolished by their vote. They will then be
the only slaves. Only his vote can hasten the abolition of slavery
who asserts his own freedom by his vote.
RHETORIC Essayists use several
rhetorical devices to persuade
their readers. Rhetorical devices
include repetition, rhetorical ques-
tions, parallelism, and analogies.
What rhetorical device does
Thoreau use in paragraph 12? How
does he make people’s inactivity
seem pathetic?
Persuasive Techniques
Authors use certain persuasive
techniques, such as appeals to
logic, appeals to emotions, ethical
appeals, and loaded language,
which can have powerful positive
or negative connotations. In para-
graph 12, Thoreau appeals to a
reader’s sense of right and wrong.
Underline these examples of ethi-
cal appeals. Then explain their
intended effects on readers.
CONNECTIONS Persuasive writ-
ers have to make all their points
relevant to the whole argument.
Thoreau writes in paragraph 12
about the relationship between
individuals and the “masses of
men.” According to Thoreau, how
does a willingness to leave the
outcome “to the majority” under-
mine the individual’s conscience?
answering the following questions: What did Thoreau think individuals
should do in order to end slavery? Do you agree with his ideas?
Groups such as the
American Anti-Slavery
Society worked to have
slavery abolished.
NEW SPEC
CC13_ELA_L2A_L06_photo27
Photo of a collection box of the MA
Anti-Slavery Society, circa 1850
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Whole Class
I hear of a convention to be held at Baltimore, or elsewhere, for
the selection of a candidate for the Presidency, made up chiefly of
editors, and men who are politicians by profession; but I think,
what is it to any independent, intelligent, and respectable man
what decision they may come to? Shall we not have the advantage
of this wisdom and honesty, nevertheless? Can we not count upon
some independent votes? Are there not many individuals in the
country who do not attend conventions? But no: I find that the
respectable man, so called, has immediately drifted from his posi-
tion, and despairs of his country, when his country has more
reasons to despair of him. He forthwith adopts one of the candi-
dates thus selected as the only available one, thus proving that he
is himself available for any purposes of the demagogue. His vote is
of no more worth than that of any unprincipled foreigner or hire-
ling native, who may have been bought. O for a man who is a man,
and, as my neighbor says, has a bone in his back which you cannot
pass your hand through! Our statistics are at fault: the population
has been returned too large. How many men are there to a square
thousand miles in the country? Hardly one. Does not America
offer any inducement for men to settle here? The American
has dwindled into an Odd Fellow—one who may be known
by the development of his organ of
gregariousness, and a manifest lack of
intellect and cheerful self-reliance; whose
first and chief concern, on coming into the
world, is to see that the almshouses are in
good repair; and, before yet he has lawfully
donned the virile garb, to collect a fund to
the support of the widows and orphans
that may be; who, in short, ventures to live
only by the aid of the Mutual Insurance
company, which has promised to bury
him decently.
STYLE A writer’s style depends
on many factors, including word
choice, sentence type and struc-
ture, and figurative language. In
paragraph 13, Thoreau uses a
series of questions. How does this
choice affect the pace of the para-
graph? What emotions does it
evoke or express?
STRUCTURE Text structure is
the arrangement of and relation-
ships between parts of a text. In
the previous paragraphs, Thoreau
criticizes the U.S. government.
Who or what does Thoreau criti-
cize in paragraph 13? How does
this progression align with his
overall argument?
Zachary Taylor, shown here in
a campaign poster, was a slave
owner and a military leader. He
became the twelfth president of
the United States in 1849.
KILLED SPEC
a ballot at a voting place showing the marks in the
boxes but not the candidates’ names
NEW SPEC
photo of a campaign poster for
Zachary Taylor, circa 1848
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It is not a man’s duty, as a matter of course, to devote himself to
the eradication of any, even to most enormous wrong; he may still
properly have other concerns to engage him; but it is his duty, at
least, to wash his hands of it, and, if he gives it no thought longer,
not to give it practically his support. If I devote myself to other pur-
suits and contemplations, I must first see, at least, that I do not
pursue them sitting upon another man’s shoulders. I must get off
him first, that he may pursue his contemplations too. See what
gross inconsistency is tolerated. I have heard some of my towns-
men say, “I should like to have them order me out to help put down
an insurrection of the slaves, or to march to Mexico—see if I would
go”; and yet these very men have each, directly by their allegiance,
and so indirectly, at least, by their money, furnished a substitute.
The soldier is applauded who refuses to serve in an unjust war by
those who do not refuse to sustain the unjust government which
makes the war; is applauded by those whose own act and author-
ity he disregards and sets at naught; as if the state were penitent to
that degree that it hired one to scourge it while it sinned, but not to
that degree that it left off sinning for a moment. Thus, under the
name of Order and Civil Government, we are all made at last to
pay homage to and support our own meanness. After the first
blush of sin comes its indifference; and from immoral it becomes,
as it were, unmoral, and not quite unnecessary to that life which
we have made.
15 The broadest and most prevalent error requires the most disin-
terested virtue to sustain it. The slight reproach to which the
virtue of patriotism is commonly liable, the noble are most likely
to incur. Those who, while they disapprove of the character and
measures of a government, yield to it their allegiance and support
are undoubtedly its most conscientious supporters, and so fre-
quently the most serious obstacles to reform. Some are petitioning
the State to dissolve the Union, to disregard the requisitions of the
President. Why do they not dissolve it themselves—the union
between themselves and the State—and refuse to pay their quota
into its treasury? Do not they stand in same relation to the State
that the State does to the Union? And have not the same reasons
prevented the State from resisting the Union which have pre-
vented them from resisting the State?
PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
Persuasive writers often employ
“glittering generalities”—vague
words with strong positive
connotations such as freedom,
patriotism, or conscience—to
evoke an emotional response with-
out making any specific claims.
Circle examples of glittering gener-
alities in paragraph 15. What does
Thoreau hope to achieve by includ-
ing this language?
POINT OF VIEW In a persuasive
text, the author’s point of view
often reveals the strong emotions
he or she has about an issue.
Thoreau writes that it is not a per-
son’s duty to right the wrongs of
the world. What does he think is a
person’s duty?
EVIDENCE The best persuasive
authors support their arguments
with sufficient evidence that dem-
onstrates their claims. Evidence
can include facts, statistics, testi-
monials, or anecdotes.Notice that
Thoreau discusses the behavior of
the townsmen in paragraph 14.
What point does this evidence help
him make?
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Whole Class
How can a man be satisfied to entertain an opinion merely, and
enjoy it? Is there any enjoyment in it, if his opinion is that he is
aggrieved? If you are cheated out of a single dollar by your neigh-
bor, you do not rest satisfied with knowing you are cheated, or
with saying that you are cheated, or even with petitioning him to
pay you your due; but you take effectual steps at once to obtain the
full amount, and see to it that you are never cheated again. Action
from principle, the perception and the performance of right,
changes things and relations; it is essentially revolutionary, and
does not consist wholly with anything which was. It not only
divided States and churches, it divides families; ay, it divides the
individual, separating the diabolical in him from the divine.
Unjust laws exist: shall we be content to obey them, or shall we
endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded,
or shall we transgress them at once? Men, generally, under such a
government as this, think that they ought to wait until they have
persuaded the majority to alter them. They think that, if they
should resist, the remedy would be worse than the evil. But it is the
fault of the government itself that the remedy is worse than the
evil. It makes it worse. Why is it not more apt to anticipate and pro-
vide for reform? Why does it not cherish its wise minority? Why
does it cry and resist before it is hurt? Why does it not encourage
its citizens to put out its faults, and do better than it would have
them? Why does it always . . . excommunicate Copernicus12
and
Luther13
, and pronounce Washington and Franklin rebels? . . .
12
Copernicus Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543), Polish astronomer who
proposed the model that the planets revolve around the sun
13
Luther Martin Luther (1483–1546), German theologian and iconic figure
of the Protestant Reformation
RHETORIC Effective rhetoric
involves using a variety of strate-
gies. Thoreau employs rhetorical
questions in paragraphs 16–17.
What other strategy does he use
at the end of paragraph 17?
CENTRAL IDEA The central
idea is the main concept that
the author is trying to convey. In
paragraph 16, Thoreau refers to
“action from principle.” What does
he mean by this phrase? How is
this related to the central concern
of the text?
CONNECTIONS Essays and arti-
cles sometimes require the reader
to deduce relationships between
ideas and events. Thoreau was
thrown in jail for refusing to pay
his poll tax. How does this fact
strengthen Thoreau’s argument in
On the Duty of Civil Disobedience?
Thoreau wrote On the Duty of Civil
Disobedience at his cabin on Walden Pond.
CC13_ELA_L2A_L6_SE 125 5/9/13 7:45 AM

Whole Class
Effective Rhetoric
Thoreau is a master rhetorician. One of his most effective and powerful
techniques is the use of analogy to draw comparisons between two things for
the purposes of explanation and clarification. Here, Thoreau is making the case
that one should do what is right even if it is at one’s own expense.
If I have unjustly wrested a plank from a drowning man, I must restore it to
him though I drown myself.
This simple, imaginary scenario makes the underlying logic of Thoreau’s main
point clearer. He offers a simple situation before extending his reasoning to a more
complex situation—that the United States must outlaw slavery and stop fighting the
war with Mexico no matter what the cost.
Try It
What other simple analogies does Thoreau make in the text? What are the larger,
more complex points he makes by using each analogy? Write each example of
a simple analogy in the left column of the chart. In the right column, explain the
larger point that Thoreau makes with the analogy.
Thoreau’s Simple Analogy Thoreau’s Larger Point
CC13_ELA_L2A_L6_SE 126 5/9/13 7:45 AM

Whole Class
Vocabulary Strategy
Shades of Meaning
Each of the following excerpts includes one of the vocabulary words from the
essay. The words in bold represent examples of biased language. Replace the
words with more neutral terms, and explain the difference in connotation or
meaning.
1. “I heartily accept the motto, ‘That government is best which governs least.’”

2. “Can there not be a government in which the majorities do not virtually decide
right and wrong, but conscience?—in which majorities decide only those
questions to which the rule of expediency is applicable?”

3. “If I have unjustly wrested a plank from a drowning man, I must restore it to him
though I drown myself.”

4. “. . . one who may be known by the development of his organ of
gregariousness, and a manifest lack of intellect and cheerful self-reliance . . . ”

5. “Why does it always . . . excommunicate Copernicus and Luther . . .”

Comprehension Check
Answer these questions about the selection you have just read. Use details from
the selection to support your responses.
1. According to Thoreau, do individuals have an obligation to do what is right even
at their own expense?
2. Explain Thoreau’s beliefs about what the role of government should be.
3. How does Thoreau support the arguments that slavery and the war with Mexico
must end?
CC13_ELA_L2A_L6_SE 127 5/9/13 7:45 AM

Small Group
Consider
1 Hybrid and electric vehicles can reduce emissions, save fuel
and money, and increase national security. Although they are
certainly not perfect, electric and hybrid cars are an important
step forward in maintaining our standard of living while reducing
the harmful impact our lifestyle has on the environment, our
wallets, and our country.
What Is Emitted?
When cars with traditional engines burn gasoline or diesel fuel
to produce power, a by-product of the combustion process is the
release of harmful gases. These gases—including air pollutants
and greenhouse gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrous
oxide—are called emissions because they are released, or emitted,
into Earth’s atmosphere. Hybrid-electric vehicles and plug-in
electric vehicles do not produce as many harmful emissions as
traditionally gas-powered vehicles because they produce their
power either from a hybrid of electricity and gasoline (hybrid-
electric vehicles) or entirely from electricity (plug-in electric
vehicles). Therefore, operating a hybrid-electric or plug-in electric
vehicle is much better for the environment than using a gasoline-
powered vehicle.
What are the downsides of using fossil fuels such as petroleum?
What obstacles limit the viability of hybrid and electric vehicles?
Hybrid and Electric Vehicles—
Drive Green
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE What
purpose for writing does the
author reveal in the title and
introduction?
STYLE Underline details in the
text that help you determine the
author’s style. Do you think this
style is effective for the topic and
purpose? Explain.
Emissions from vehicles
are a by-product of the
combustion process and
contain pollutants and
greenhouse gasses.
CC13_ELA_L2A_L6_SE 128 5/9/13 7:45 AM

Small Group
While the overall picture is a positive one, it is important to
remember that using energy always has some cost, or drawback.
Although a plug-in electric vehicle uses only electricity and pro-
duces no emissions, the electricity it uses has to come from
somewhere. In many regions of the United States, electricity pro-
duction relies heavily on the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and
natural gas. Whether burning the fuel in the engines of individual
cars or burning it at the power plant, emissions are still being
released into the atmosphere. Per car, emissions are calculated on
the basis of “tailpipe emissions,” as well as on the type of energy
source used to generate the electricity to charge the car. Depending
on where a person lives and how the area generates electricity, the
total emissions may differ. An electric car operated in an area that
produces electricity through nuclear power or alternative energy
sources, for example, would have a lower total emissions rating than
the same car in an area that burns coal.
So, what is the advantage of buying a hybrid or electric car over
a gasoline-burning car when both produce some form of emis-
sions? While it is true that hybrid and electric cars aren’t entirely
emission-free, they still produce significantly less pollution per
vehicle than do gasoline-burning cars. But is this enough of a
difference to solve all of our pollution problems? By itself, no.
These cars are a short-term fix that may not even be part of the
long-term solution. What is needed is the cleaner burning of fossil
fuels, greater reliance on renewable energy for electricity, and
RHETORIC The author points
out that the electricity used to
charge cars sometimes comes
from fossil-fuel sources. How does
a discussion of the complexities of
the issue enhance the effective-
ness of the argument?
RHETORIC Why does the author
begin paragraph 4 with a ques-
tion? Is this an effective strategy?
Burning coal is still the
most common way of
generating electricity.
CC13_ELA_L2A_L6_SE 129 5/9/13 7:45 AM

technologies such as carbon capture (capturing carbon emissions
at power plants before they enter the atmosphere and depositing
them deep in the ground). Unfortunately, many of these technolo-
gies are a long way off—either they aren’t fully developed yet or are
far too expensive to implement on a large scale. Hybrid/electric
cars, on the other hand, are here today and are affordable to most
everyone. It’s a small step, but even a small step is a step in the
right direction.
Consuming Fuel
5 Another advantage that hybrid-electric and plug-in electric
vehicles have is that they use much less fuel or, in some cases, no
fuel at all. The 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid is rated at 44 miles per
gallon for combined city and highway driving, while the conven-
tional four-cylinder automatic version of the same car is rated at
32 miles per gallon. This means that the hybrid can travel 37.5 per-
cent farther on the same amount of fuel, which really adds up
when you multiply that savings by millions of vehicles, millions of
drivers, and millions of miles. In addition, 32 miles per gallon is
actually considered excellent gas mileage for a car; many gasoline-
powered vehicles—particularly trucks and SUVs—get significantly
less than that.
Of course, this fuel-savings assumes that the electric power is
being used to offset the consumption of gasoline, rather than to
supplement it. When buying a hybrid car, it’s important to under-
stand and recognize the difference in how the electric power is
actually used: some hybrid-electric vehicles use electricity to
boost the car’s power rather than increase fuel efficiency. In these
cases, it is more difficult to assess whether the car is more fuel effi-
cient than a traditional vehicle. Although the car is not consuming
less fuel than before, it is more powerful without consuming any
additional fuel.
While hybrids greatly reduce the amount of gasoline used, thus
providing a cost savings, plug-in electric vehicles reduce fuel costs
even more dramatically. These cars do not burn fuel—they use
energy provided by chemical reactions inside a rechargeable bat-
tery. In order to charge the battery, owners do need to plug their
cars into a source of electricity; however, the electricity that is
required to charge it is cheaper and cleaner to produce than
burning gasoline.
CENTRAL IDEA Underline
the sentence that explains the
central idea of the section
“Consuming Fuel.”
PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES In
paragraph 4, what comparison
does the author make to argue for
the use of hybrid/electric cars?
Have you heard this analogy used
elsewhere?
DETAILS Highlight the details
the author uses in paragraphs 6–7
to support the central idea of
the section.
CC13_ELA_L2A_L6_SE 130 5/9/13 7:46 AM

Small Group
Comparing fuel consumption of plug-in electric vehicles and
gas-powered vehicles, or even hybrids, can be difficult, given that
the energy sources are so different. Obviously, the term miles
per gallon (mpg) is not helpful when evaluating electric cars.
Therefore, electric-car efficiency is measured in kilowatt-hours
per 100 miles. To help consumers understand how electric cars
and gasoline-powered cars compare in terms of energy per mile,
a system of comparative measurement has been established.
Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe), which was deter-
mined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is one
comparative measurement. For purposes of comparing fuel
economy, 33.7 kilowatt-hours is said to be equivalent to one gallon
of gasoline. The MPGe system has helped numerous consumers
make well-educated purchasing decisions, curtailing harmful
environmental impact.
The Hidden Costs
It seems that because hybrid-electric and plug-in electric vehi-
cles have dramatically lower fuel costs, they would be much less
expensive to own and operate. However, as with any purchase,
upfront costs, maintenance costs, and longevity must factor into
the final assessment. That fuel costs are so much lower for these
types of vehicles is a vote in their favor, but the initial purchase
price of these vehicles can be much higher than a car with a tradi-
tional engine. The current difference in average purchase price
may seem like a deterrent to buying a hybrid or electric car. While
there is no actual reason that these cars should be more expensive
to produce, production costs are currently more because, as with
any new technology, hybrid and electric cars have yet to reach the
economy of scale necessary to make them cheaper. Therefore, as
STRUCTURE Why does the
author include the section “The
Hidden Costs” immediately
following the section on fuel
consumption?
98 38
101 101
Fuel Economy Greenhouse Gas Rating
(tailpipe only)
Smog Rating
(tailpipe only)
This vehicle emits 84 grams C02
per mile.The best emits 0 grams per mile (tailpipe only).
Producing and distributing fuel electricity also create emissions; learn more at fueleconomy.gov
Actual results will vary for many reasons, including driving conditions and how you drive and maintain your
vehicle. The average new vehicle gets 22 MPG and costs $12,600 to fuel over 5 years. Cost estimates are
based on 15,000 miles per year at $3.70 per gallon and $0.12 per kW-hr. This is a dual fueled automobile.
MPGe is miles per gasoline equivalent. Vehicle emissions are a signiﬁcant cause of climate change and smog.
fueleconomy.gov
Calculate personalized estimates and compare vehicles.
Best Best
Driving Range
30
All electric range
0 10 20 40 410
Fuel Economy Midsize cars range from 10 to 99 MPGe.The best vehicle rates 99 MPGe.
Fuel Economy and EnvironmentEPA
DOT
Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle
Electricity-Gasoline
Electricity Gasoline OnlyCharge time: 4 hours (240V)
Combined city/highway
MPGe
34kW-hrs per
100 miles
MPG
2.6gallons per
100 miles
Gasoline only
You save
$8,100in fuel costs
over 5 years
compared to the
average new vehicle.
Annual fuel cost
$900
Smartphone
QR CodeTM
10 8
Combined city/highway
PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
Circle words and phrases in para-
graph 8 that use loaded language.
How do they affect the author’s
credibility?
This MPGe label was implemented
in 2008. It is displayed in the
windows of all new hybrid vehicles.
There are similar labels for gasoline
vehicles and electric vehicles.
CC13_ELA_L2A_L6_SE 131 5/9/13 7:46 AM

demand increases, production volume will increase, and as pro-
duction volume increases, prices of hybrid and electric vehicles
will likely decrease.
10 Short-term measures can be, and have been, put in place to
entice buyers and increase the circulation of electric cars. These
measures will eventually serve to increase production and reduce
cost. For example, in addition to the fuel-cost savings, the higher
purchase price has been offset by a federal tax credit and state
incentives. The credits and incentives offered can be substantial.
The federal tax credit alone ranges from $2,000 to $4,000 for new
purchases—the amount of the credit is determined by the size of
the battery in the car. Once production increases and prices fall,
these incentives will no longer be necessary.
Aside from the costs of the individual vehicles, there are wider-
ranging infrastructure costs, such as building a network of electric
charging stations. While several charging stations currently exist
and the network is expanding, drivers who travel long distances or
live in rural areas will probably find that plug-in electric vehicles
do not yet meet their day-to-day needs. Until charging stations are
as common as gas stations, hybrid-electric vehicles will remain
realistic options only for drivers who live in cities with charging
stations or who travel short distances.
A final cost that is perhaps not obvious at first is battery life.
The batteries in these vehicles eventually wear out and need to be
replaced. Many car companies do offer battery warranties to help
people feel more secure about purchasing an electric or hybrid
vehicle. But battery replacement after the warranty expires can
be a significant expense. However, this cost is also expected to
decline with mass production and the proliferation of electric
and hybrid vehicles over time.
A Matter of National Security
Aside from environmental costs and fuel-consumption costs,
the widespread use of gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles has
made energy security a major issue for the United States. In 2011,
45 percent of the petroleum consumed in the United States was
imported, and two-thirds of that was used for transportation. Much
of the world’s petroleum reserves are located in politically volatile
countries, which leaves the United States susceptible to price
spikes and disruptions in the supply chain due to political unrest.
POINT OF VIEW The author
includes information about the
costs and benefits to the individual
and to the nation. What does this
tell readers about the author’s
perspective on the practicality of
electric vehicles?
CONNECTIONS Why is petro-
leum a national security issue?
SHADES OF MEANING Circle
examples of biased language in
paragraph 13. Replace these words
with more neutral terms, and
explain the difference in connota-
tion or meaning.
EVIDENCE What evidence does
the author provide in paragraph 10
to show that the government
wants people to buy hybrid and
electric vehicles?
CC13_ELA_L2A_L6_SE 132 5/9/13 7:46 AM

Small Group
Hybrid-electric and plug-in electric vehicles can reduce
the nation’s dependence on petroleum, specifically imported
petroleum. Almost all electricity in the United States is produced
from domestic coal, nuclear energy, natural gas, and renewable
resources. Electrically powered vehicles, therefore, could make
use of energy resources that are available within the United States,
thus decreasing the opportunity for international instability to
affect our energy supply. It would also allow the United States to
cut ties with foreign petroleum producers that have had dubious
political relationships with our government, increasing our
national security.
It’s Worth the Costs
15 Despite the drawbacks, buying hybrid and electric vehicles
makes sense and should be considered by anyone in the market
for a new or used car. The technology used to power the cars
releases fewer emissions, which means the air will be cleaner and
the effects of global warming will be slowed. The vehicles use dif-
ferent types of energy to produce power—energy that comes from
resources that are not as scarce as oil, nor as expensive. And while
the vehicles may currently cost more to buy than traditional ones,
that cost is offset by government tax breaks and subsidies. Once
the vehicles are being mass produced, they will become more
affordable. Finally, hybrid and electric vehicles offer the United
States a way to reduce its dependence on petroleum from
overseas—a major source of geopolitical unrest—by using
domestic resources as their source of power.
CONNECTIONS In your own
words, explain the connection
between the United States’
dependence on international
petroleum and threats to national
security. How does one contribute
to the other?
CENTRAL IDEA Highlight
the reasons the author thinks
hybrid and electric vehicles should
be adopted.
ARGUMENT Has the author
made a well-supported and com-
pelling argument? Explain.
Much of the world’s oil supply is located in remote and unstable
areas, requiring the construction of pipelines, like this one.
CC13_ELA_L2A_L6_SE 133 5/9/13 7:46 AM

Small Group
Discussion
Discuss these questions with your group, and together write a paragraph in response to each
question. Provide evidence to support your responses.
1. How does the author reach his or her conclusion on hybrid and electric cars? Consider the
pros and cons presented, and explain if you agree with the author’s conclusion.
2. Analyze the effectiveness of the essay. Does the author achieve his or her purpose? Why or
why not?
3. Would you ever buy a hybrid or electric car?
Comprehension Check
Answer these questions about the selection you have just read. Use details from the selection
to support your responses.
1. Why does the U.S. government offer tax incentives for hybrid and electric vehicles?
2. Compare and contrast the ways that electric and traditional vehicles consume fuel.
3. Which persuasive techniques and rhetorical devices most contribute to the author’s
argument?
Independent Projects
Your teacher may assign you one or both of the following performance tasks.
Investigate the debate about petroleum production in Canada.
Apply what you have learned about persuasive texts to compare Thoreau’s
work to that of Martin Luther King, Jr.
On Your Own
Application
Thoreau’s ideas inspired many
activists, including Martin Luther King,
Jr. King was a master of rhetoric and
inspired many to support his efforts
for civil rights. Read another sec-
tion of On Civil Disobedience and
compare it to King’s “Letter from
Birmingham Jail” or one of his
speeches. Pay attention to the way
both authors use rhetorical devices
and persuasive techniques. Complete
a chart and answer questions to com-
pare the two texts.
Inquiry
Research the debate about petroleum
production in Alberta, Canada. Write a
persuasive argument for or against
production, taking into account the
environmental impact, cost-effective-
ness, and dependence on overseas
petroleum. Then deliver a persuasive
presentation to your class, using
slides or other visual aides.
CC13_ELA_L2A_L6_SE 134 5/9/13 7:46 AM

Georgia Common Core Coach, CCGPS Edition, American Literature, Level II

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