Orientation
Complete the following Orientation:
“____ by ____ is a dystopian novel set in London where citizens are under constant surveillance. It follows ____ ___, a man who begins to doubt the Party.”
“1984 by George Orwell is a dystopian novel set in London where citizens are under constant surveillance. It follows Winston Smith, a man who begins to doubt the Party.”
Which sentence works best as a spoiler-safe summary line for The Hunger Games?
A) “Katniss enters the Games and wins with Peeta.”
B) “The Hunger Games is amazing!!! I cried.”
C) “In a poor district, Katniss volunteers to save her sister and is sent to a deadly TV competition.”
D) “Suzanne Collins was born in 1962 and the movie is famous.”
C) “In a poor district, Katniss volunteers to save her sister and is sent to a deadly TV competition.”
Upgrade: “The novel is good.” Choose two precise adjectives and a reason.
“The novel is compelling (= very interesting) and thought-provoking (= makes you think) because its ideas about truth feel modern.”
Choose an audience and complete: “I recommend The Little Prince for ______ because ______.”
“I recommend The Little Prince for teens and adults because its simple story has deep messages.”
Rank the following Orientation examples (A–C) from best (1) to worst (3) for a book review.
Then, explain briefly why you chose that order.
A) “This book is amazing and sad and beautiful and I cried a lot!!!”
B) “Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic memoir about growing up during the Iranian Revolution.”
C) “Persepolis is an amazing book because it teaches us that freedom is very important. It made me think a lot about my own country.”
1️⃣ B – Best:
Includes all key information (title, author, genre, context).
Neutral, factual tone appropriate for the Orientation section.
Uses simple and clear sentences.
2️⃣ C – Not quite right:
Communicates understanding and emotion, but starts with opinion and evaluation.
Lacks author and context; could be used later in the Evaluation part of a review.
3️⃣ A – Least appropriate:
Only personal reaction, no factual information.
Informal tone (“I cried a lot!!!”) and punctuation not suitable for academic writing.
Read this 3-sentence draft about The Alchemist. Delete the one sentence that does not belong in a summary.
“The Alchemist follows Santiago, a shepherd who dreams of treasure and travels to North Africa.”
“He meets guides who help him listen to his heart.”
“The book sold millions and was translated into more than 80 languages.”
Delete 3). Keep 1)–2).
Claim: “1984 is still relevant worldwide.” Add one example (book/world).
“1984 is still relevant because control of information appears in many places today; for example, in Ann Morgan’s talk she shows books from many countries that are banned.”
Use a hedging frame: “If you enjoyed ___ from country ____, you might enjoy ___ because _____.”
“If you enjoyed Persepolis (Iran), you might enjoy Maus because both use graphic memoir to discuss history.”
Read this Orientation paragraph carefully:
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez is a magical realism novel set in Macondo, Colombia. It follows the Buendía family across generations.
What is the structure (the sequence of information) used in this Orientation? Choose or describe the best pattern.
A) author + title + genre + focus + setting
B) title + author + genre + setting + focus
C) genre + setting + title + author + theme
Correct for run-ons, use proper subject reference, and keep focus on content—not opinions.
“This story is very sad it tells about a man who dies because the country was violent and the author is his son he tells his life.”
“The memoir tells the story of a father killed during Colombia’s violent years. His son, the author, remembers his life and his fight for human rights.”
A) “The characters feel real; for instance, Winston’s fear during the Two Minutes Hate shows how propaganda works.”
B) “The characters are nice. The story is okay.”
Which is better? Why?
A) better: gives specific evidence (scene) and analytical verb (“shows”).
A) “Read 1984. It is perfect for all readers.”
B) “You might prefer 1984 if you like dystopian stories with ideas more than action.”
Which fits review style? Why?
B) uses hedging + audience + genre; A) is absolute and vague.
Choose 5–7 fragments and write a 2 sentence Orientation.
“Mexican novel”, “Laura Esquivel”, “Like Water for Chocolate”, “recipes and romance”, “family traditions”, “love and food”, “magical elements”, “Tita”, “strict mother”, “emotion in cooking”, “Mexican Revolution”, “love story”
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel is a Mexican novel that mixes recipes and romance to show family traditions. It blends magic and emotion in everyday life.
Make a 2-sentence, spoiler-safe summary of The Little Prince. Put the fragments in order and add one connector (e.g., then / as / later).
• “a pilot crashes in the Sahara Desert”
• “he meets a boy from another planet”
• “their talks explore love and friendship”
“A pilot crashes in the Sahara Desert and meets a boy from another planet. As they talk, their stories explore love and friendship.”
Fix comma splice and add hedging word:
“The ending is powerful, it proves Orwell is right about everything.”
“The ending is powerful, but it perhaps shows that Orwell is right about many things.”
Recommend 1984 vs The Hunger Games in 2 sentences; include one comparative and a star rating.
“The Hunger Games is faster-paced (= moves quickly), but 1984 is more thought-provoking. I give 1984 ★★★★☆ for readers who enjoy ideas and social themes.”
Choose 7–9 fragments to build your own Orientation. You must include a relative clause.
“Héctor Abad Faciolince”, “Colombian writer”, “memoir”, “El olvido que seremos”, “father”, “the father defended human rights in Medellín”, “family and memory”, “violence and peace”, “Medellín”, “search for peace”, “hope”, “national history”, “private story”.
El olvido que seremos by Héctor Abad Faciolince is a memoir about his father who defended human rights in Medellín. The book connects one family’s story with Colombia’s national history and its search for peace.
Write a 30-word, spoiler-safe summary of a book you know well. Use:
who + where + central conflict,
one cohesive device (however/so/as a result/then),
one precise verb (follows/portrays/shows/explores)
“The novel shows a man who lives in a world of fear and control. He wants freedom and love, so he starts to question the rules and the truth.”
Write 1–2 sentences: using judgement/opinion + evidence. Use 1984 or a known book.
many possibilities
Build a 2–3 sentence recommendation for a book you know well.
Varies