The American School in Switzerland

English Grammar, Composition, and American Literature

Ms. Clark

FINAL EXAMINATION

Expectations:

You will have 90 minutes to complete this exam.

This exam will be broken into TWO PARTS. Part One is three sections of grammar. Part Two will be three passage identifications and a comparison paragraph about The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman. When you are completely finished with the first part, you can raise your hand to turn it in and receive the second part. During the second part of the exam, you may use your book: Death of a Salesman. Once you turn in Part One, you will not be able to get it back. Check your work carefully before turning it in.

You should not need any external resources to complete this exam. At the start of the examination, please turn in your phones, in addition to any other devices that may go off or prove to be a distraction.

Please complete the exam in pen or pencil.

If you do not know the answer, please try your best; you will be awarded partial credit.

Exam Part One: no books, no notes

I. Passive and Active Voice, Direct and Indirect Speech, Gerunds and Infinitives

Step One: Read this silly story. Then, answer the questions below in order to show your understanding of passive and active voice, direct and indirect speech, gerunds and infinitives.

It was an accident. Leonardo and Giacomo weren’t planning on creating a radioactive burger. It wasn’t easy to do. But Leo left a full pile of meat from Sara Li under his bed. Then, Giacomo spilled three whole cans of Red Bull on top. Whatever chemical reaction happened was toxic and thus created a monster. One day, the burger stood up. The next day, it started wandering around the room. Leonardo and Giacomo thought the best course of action was to flee to Italy. The third day, the burger walked out of the empty apartment, wandered down the street, and knocked on Konstantin’s door. When Konstantin opened the door, he wasn’t surprised; he always knew something was weird about the meat at Sara Li. Konstantin said, “hey little buddy! I will name you Buggy Burger.” Konstantin then gave Buggy his key card and sent him down to Giorgio’s room. Unfortunately, by this time, Buggy was feeling very hungry. Giogio had eaten a whole pack of gummy worms, and was passed out in a food coma. Buggy Burger thought to himself “Oh, yummy!” While Giorgio was sleeping, Buggy Burger started to eat him. At just that moment, Sviat barged in the room. “Giogio!” he screamed. But he was too late. Resurrecting was not an option. Buggy Burger ate Giorgio. As revenge, Sviat ate Buggy.

Step Two: Circle and label:

One infinitive (to do)

One gerund (ressurecting)

One noun clause (Whatever chemical reaction happened)

Step Three: Write FOUR sentences using passive voice that summarize this story.

Creating a radioactive burger wasn’t planned by Leonardo and Giacomo.

A full pile of meat from Sara Li was left under the bed by Leo.

Three whole cans of Red Bull were spilled on top of the meat pile by Giacomo.

Fleeing to Italy seemed like the best course of action by Leonardo and Giacomo.

Step Four: Write TWO examples of indirect speech based on the quotations (direct speech) in this story.

Konstantin greeted the burger and said that he would name it Buggy Burger.

Buggy Burger thought to himself that Giogio was yummy.

Step Five: Write a two sentence summary of this story. Your first sentence should use a gerund, and your second sentence should use an infinitive.

Creating a radioactive burger was not part of Leonardo and Giacomo’s plan.

Leonardo and Giacomo decided to go to Italy to escape the whole mess they had created.

II. Grammar Review: Full Year – Identification

Directions: Read these small excerpts. Then, answer the questions that follow each except, identifying different grammatical constructions and critiques.

Reading Number #1: For graduation, female students should wear white. Ms. Hope gave Pia approval for her dress. Pia quickly ran back to Lanterna. Whoever does not get their outfit approved will not be able to walk at graduation.

What is the modal in this reading?

Should

What is the indirect object in this reading?

Pia

What is the noun clause in this reading?

female students should wear white

Name an adverb in this reading:

ran

Name one preposition in this reading:

What is the verb tense of “will not be able”?

Simple future tense

Reading Number #2: While waiting for school to end, Isabella had been getting excited for her summer of backpacking through Europe. However, when she realized she would have to pack her entire life into her backpack, which was just a small school bag, she started to get nervous. Sunny saw her doing this and said “I don’t think this is going to work.” Isabella threw all her clothes back on the floor and decided to book a flight instead.

What is the verb tense in “had been getting excited”?

Past perfect progressive/continuous

What is the adjective clause in this reading?

which was just a small school bag

Turn the direct speech in this reading into indirect speech:

Sunny saw Isabella struggling to pack and told her that he didn’t think the ideas would work.

What is the adverb clause in this sentence?

While waiting for school to end

What is one adjective in this reading?

excited

What is one prepositional phrase in this reading?

to pack her entire life

What is a quantifier in this reading?

all

III. Grammar Review: Full Year – Sentence Correction

Directions: Write a better version, using formal, academic style, of the sentences below, without changing their meaning. Write each sentence out completely and be careful with your handwriting—illegible answers will be marked wrong.

1. Jeff is talking to woman in bar. (2 errors)

Jeff is talking to a woman in the bar.

2. Its palpable, the love that Jamie have for his brother and sister. (2)

Jamie has a palpable love for his brother and sister.

3. Emily stopped to care about everything, she doesn’t take things serious. (2)

Emily stopped to care about anything, she doesn’t take things seriously.

4. Leonid ask Sally to get marry with him. (2)

Leonid asked Sally to marry him.

5. I’ll eat five rices tonight. (1)

I’ll have five rices tonight.

6. She has traveled to fourteen country. (1)

She has travelled to fourteen countries.

7. His worried to be bury in a cemetery with all this dead guy. (5)

He is worried that he could be buried in a cemetery will all these dead guys.

8. Rebecca drank much juice fast. (2)

Rebecca drunk a lot of juice fast.

9. I ate which you gave me. (1)

I ate what you gave me.

10. A torn student’s book is on the desk. (1)

The torn student’s book is on the desk.

11. Jimmy suggest Janie to go to the ride. (2)

Jimmy suggested to Janie to go to the ride.

12. John just was chosen to be the leader. (2)

John was just chosen to be a leader.

13. David ran quick and got his bag speed. (2)

David ran quickly and got his bad with speed.

14. If you don’t believe in yourself you would never be able to achieve nothing. (2)

If you don’t believe in yourself, you would never be able to achieve anything.

15. All this mix emotion make him run to the Ms. Clark house. (5)

All these mixed emotions made him run to Ms. Clark’s house.

16. Holden thinks a lot about Allie’s dead, what makes him depress. (3)

Holden thinks a lot about Allie’s death, which makes him depressed.

Name:

Exam Part Two: Open Book!

You may use your hard copy of “Death of a Salesman.”

(If you forgot your book, it is possible to do this exam without the book. You may not use the internet, or someone else’s book.)

IV. Death of a Salesman Textual Analysis

Directions: CHOOSE THREE EXCERPTS (out of five). For each excerpt, explain the SIGNIFICANCE of this moment.

When does this moment happen?

What does this moment show?

How does it shape the play? Why is it important in the grand scheme of the play?

You may reference ideas we discussed in class, in addition to your own annotations and notes. For each moment, you should write 3-5 sentences, and quote the excerpt.

Excerpt from Death of a Salesman Why is this significant?

This excerpt occurs in Act 1. This moment shows the main theme of the entire play including denial, order versus disorder, and contradiction. The scene shapes the play by revealing the true nature of both Linda and Willy. Linda is loving and caring. She is also present and living within her means in a realistic manner. Willy, on other hand, is self-centered. He fails to appreciate his wife. Further demonstrates Willy’s dissociation with reality. Shows he is a static character. Ironic as he follows the American Dream but doesn’t want American cheese.

Willy tells Linda, his wife, at the close of Act I that he is feeling optimistic again since their son Biff has told them about his intention to seek for a loan to purchase a ranch. Biff is trying to buy a ranch. Willy’s mood shifts from one of hopelessness to one of almost maniacal optimism in only the instant that he hears Biff’s idea. Willy’s heroic performance on the football field in high school is one of the things that he recalls most about Biff. Willy projects his own desires and aspirations onto his kid, and he convinces himself that his boy is invincible and unable to fall short of his expectations.

In this scene, Willy’s denial comes out conspicuously, beginning with the overestimation of his own role and prowess as a salesman and the retelling (altered) of his father’s desertion of the family. In this excerpt, Willy is now attempting to persuade his employer, Howard, to transfer him to the New York branch of the company. Willy has previously been informed by Howard that there is no work, yet he persists in making more desperate demands despite this information. Willy has rewritten the facts about his father’s abandonment of the family, and now his father’s exploits are a part of the pitch that Willy uses to try to sell his products. Willy has convinced himself that he is an independent spirit, a self-reliant pioneer hero like his father, in order to give himself the guts to ask for his job. However, in truth, Willy is asking for his job by pleading for it.

V. Death of a Salesman and The Great Gatsby: Mini Comparison Essay

Directions: Compare the character of JAY GATSBY from The Great Gatsby to WILLY LOMAN from “Death of a Salesman.” You may choose one of the following prompts to focus your writing:

Option One: How do these characters let the past influence their present and future?

Option Two: How do these characters define success? In what ways do their individual definitions impact their reality?

Option Three: How do these characters understand the concept of love? How would you compare their romantic and familial relationships?

You do NOT need quotations for this writing. However, you should cite SPECIFIC moments from the text in your comparison, making it clear that you understand both works of literature. Your final writing should start with a thesis statement, and be at least 8-10 sentences long. It is highly recommended that you PLAN before writing. Scrap paper is available for outlining!

Many individuals are motivated by a strong desire to achieve their objectives. Most individuals, on the other hand, don’t allow their ambitions take over their life to the point where they dictate them how to live. Willy Loman, the protagonist in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, and Jay Gatsby, the protagonist in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, both have a tremendous desire to be successful, which is exacerbated by their fundamentally incorrect views about what success is. Gatsby and Willy are unable to achieve their objectives due to the advent of psychological reality. External realism has been replaced with psychological realism. Their exclusive attention on the dream produces issues in many aspects of their existence. The younger version of Jay Gatsby is an excellent illustration of someone who has good intentions but is easily sidetracked. Willy, on the other hand, is unable to move on from his past. Both F. Scott Fitzgerald and Arthur Miller, the authors of “The Great Gatsby” and “Death of a Salesman,” portray tales about individuals who attempt to achieve the “American dream” despite the fact that it costs them a lot of money and time. Both of these individuals recognize that the American Dream, which they have always desired, is no longer achievable due to both external and internal issues.

Willy believes that his degree of success is proportional to his popularity. Willy’s whole existence is predicated on the belief that if you have a lot of friends, you would never be in need. He is also certain that his sons would succeed since they are attractive. “They’re both built like Adonises,” he adds. Willy’s excessive fascination with money leads him to believe that a person’s value is determined by how much money they are worth. Willy’s elder brother was Ben. Willy raised his eyes to him and murmured things like, “He’s a millionaire.” After considerable consideration, Willy comes to the conclusion that “you’re worth more dead than alive.” Last but not least, Willy believes that his wife and children would adore him if he becomes a well-known and famous businessman. “If there’s one thing, lads,” Willy assures his wife and children, “it’s that I have friends,” but he doesn’t. He also lies to his wife, claiming that he earned “500 gross in Providence and 700 gross in Boston.” This is a massive exaggeration. Willy learns that if he kills himself, he would be able to assist pay for his son’s business endeavor and that “Biff” will admire him for it in his final imagined chat with his brother Ben.

The tale of Gatsby’s rise to wealth in “The Great Gatsby” exemplifies what the American Dream is all about. He had a vision of himself as a great businessman, a gentleman, and a well-liked person since he was a child. But it had nothing to do with the way he was brought up. He was so desperate to assume someone else’s identity that he was prepared to do everything to get money. Gatsby was ready to part with a lot of his possessions, even his name. He changed his name to better reflect himself and his objectives.

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald are quite different in many aspects, yet they also have a lot in common. The primary protagonists in these two pieces of literature, Willy Loman and Jay Gatsby, are both seeking to make it in life, even if their behaviors seem foolish or unethical. Willy Loman and Jay Gatsby are both attempting to achieve “The American Dream” in their own ways. They lie and conduct dishonestly in order to do this. Willy Loman and Jay Gatsby both lie to their family and friends about their occupations and financial status. When Willy Loman claims he has a nice job and works hard all the time, he is never speaking the truth.

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