ELA 20 Choice Essay Readings - Opportunities and Obstacles

Created Feb. 5, 2024 by Jennifer Loken, Jordan Halkyard, Jeff Kingwell, Kim Johnson, Renee Harrison

Choose between the following two essays around the sub-theme of Opportunities and Obstacles:

“Walk to Morning” - Joseph Boyden

“The Science of Happiness” - Kevin Chong

“Walk to Morning”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

  1. The author says, “What if I’d died?  Just look at what I would have missed.”
  1. What things does he say he is thankful that he didn’t miss?
  2. Do the things he identifies surprise you?  Explain.
  3. How do you relate to the things he describes?

“The Science of Happiness”

  1. If you had to categorize this essay as optimistic or pessimistic, which would it be and why?  Give specific evidence to support your position.
  2. Choose two different individuals (ie. farmer, retiree, businessperson, athlete, etc.) and describe how they may react to this piece?  Be sure to identify specific aspects of the essay that might pertain to each person.

Analyze the readings by answering the following questions:

  1. What kind of questions did you ask yourself as you were reading?
  2. What is the tone of the author?
  3. What message is the author trying to convey in this reading?
  4. Was his message effective?  Why or why not?
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