The Advanced Grammar Book - Jocelyn Steer, Karen Carlisi 1998

Chapter 11 The Spirit of America

• Passives

The Spirit of America

(Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why do you think so many people from around the world immigrated to America?

2. How would you define “the American dream”?

Objectives

In this chapter you will team:

1. To form the passive voice of English verbs in all tenses

2. To form and use the passive voice of modals, infinitives and gerunds

3. Тo understand which English verbs have a passive

4. To understand when the passive voice should be used

5. To understand when the agent should be included in a passive sentence

6. To use passive verb forms as adjectives

Preview

DIRECTIONS: Martin Luther King, Jr., was an African American civil rights leader who fought for equality through peaceful resistance. Below is a famous speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr., in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963. Read the speech, referring to the vocabulary list when necessary.

I Have a Dream

by Martin Luther King, Jr.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat, of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream, that one day down in Alabama—with its vicious racists, with its Governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification—one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low. The rough places will be plain and the crooked places will be made straight, “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see together.” This is our hope.

VOCABULARY

rise up: stand

creed: a statement of the beliefs of a certain group of people

sweltering: giving off intense heat

oppression: the state of being subordinated through unjust power or authority

transformed: changed from one state to another

oasis: figuratively, anything which is a relief from difficulty or hardship

exalted: raised up

revealed: uncovered

CULTURAL NOTE/DISCUSSION

What do you know about Martin Luther King, Jr.? How does he symbolize the American spirit of independence, opportunity, and freedom?

Focus ON GRAMMAR

The following questions are based on the preview text and are designed to help you find out what you already know about the structures in this chapter. Some of the questions may be hard and some of them may be easy. Answer as many of the questions as you can. Work with a partner if your teacher tells you to do so.

1. A passive verb in English is formed with a form of be and the past participle of the verb, for example, is taught. The auxiliary be verb indicates the tense. For example, “is” is in the present tense, so the verb tense is in the present tense.

Underline the passive verbs in the speech. See if you can identify the verb tenses of the passive verbs in the preview text. Write the tenses used and an example of each below:

TENSE ...

EXAMPLE ...

2. Find an example of a negative passive sentence in the text. Write it here: …

Based on this example from the text, what is the rule for forming the negative passive?

3. Below is a sentence from the speech containing a passive verb. Following the sentence is a paraphrase of the same sentence, written with an active verb and the agent of the action. Why do you think the passive form of the sentence was used in the speech?

“I have a dream that one day my four little children will live in a nation where they will not be judged.”

I have a dream that one day my four little children will live in a nation where the people of that nation will not judge them.

Grammatical Patterns Part One

I. Active to Passive Transformation

An English sentence can either be stated in active voice or passive voice. The diagram below demonstrates how the active to passive transformation is made.

11.1 Rapid Drill: Active to Passive Transformation

DIRECTIONS: Change each of the following active sentences to passive.

1. Whites forced blacks to sit in the back of school buses.

2. Martin Luther King, Jr., encouraged peaceful resistance.

3. Whites prevented blacks from eating at the same restaurants.

4. Whites discriminated against blacks in many other ways.

5. The constitution guarantees equality for all.

6. The constitution protects the rights of every American citizen.

7. Through such discrimination, whites were violating the basic human rights of blacks.

8. Americans are still taking steps to prevent discrimination.

9. Hopefully, by the end of the century we will make progress in our ability to uphold human rights.

10. One of the major challenges is to remember the damage that we have caused in the past.

II. Passive Voice in Different Verb Tenses

The chart below shows how the passive voice is formed in the various verb tenses. There is no passive form for present perfect progressive, simple future progressive, and past perfect progressive.

11.2 Rapid Drill: Passive Voice in Different Verb Tenses

DIRECTIONS: Change each active verb below to passive.

Example

CUE: catches

RESPONSE: is caught

1. teaches    3. was showing  5. is eating

2. have written   4. will see    6. were striking

7. had spoken   10. are selling   13. was demonstrating

8. will have performed 11. makes up   14. is filling

9. bring    12. measured   15. will have found

11. 3 Written Drill: Fill in the Blanks

DIRECTIONS: In the passage below about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life, fill in the blanks with the passive form of the verb in parentheses. Be sure that the verb is in the correct tense.

...

Martin Luther King, Jr., who ... (born) in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15, 1929, ... (recognize) today as having been one of America’s leading social reformers. His role as leader of the civil rights movement began in 1959 when a black woman in Montgomery, Alabama ... (arrest) for refusing to give up to a white man her seat in the front of the bus. This incident served as the impetus for a bus boycott throughout Montgomery, which ... (direct) by King. At the time, blacks ... (discriminate) against severely all over the country, especially in the South, so they were ready for a fight. King’s belief in nonviolent demonstrations, however, which ... (inspire) by Gandhi, ... widely ... (adopt) by the civil rights movement. Although blacks ... still ... (discriminate) against to some degree at the present, Martin Luther King, Jr. made significant gains in the struggle for greater equality. He will always ... (remember) as the leader who peacefully convinced many Americans that the principles of the Constitution ... (not uphold). In 1964, he ... (award) the Nobel Peace Prize, the first black to receive this award. In 1968, just as he was preparing to lead a nationwide campaign on behalf of the poor, Martin Luther King, Jr. ... (assassinate). His life ... (commemorate) every January on Martin Luther King Day.

11.4 Paired Activity: Freedom

DIRECTIONS: Discuss the following topics as they relate to the history of your native country. Use the passive voice in a variety of tenses.

Example

FREEDOM: Freedom has not always been respected in this country. Many people were and still are being persecuted for the color of their skin, their religious background, their political views, and their nationality.

1. Freedom of speech

2. Freedom of religion

3. Political opportunity

4. The right to vote

5. Equal rights for men and women

Now choose one of the topics and write five sentences in the passive voice based on your discussion.

11.5 Written Activity: Civil Rights

DIRECTIONS: Write a short paragraph about an important leader in your country who fought for civil rights for a group of people that were being oppressed or discriminated against. Use a variety of verb tenses in the passive voice to describe the events and actions that took place. If you have difficulty thinking of someone, write about a person from another country, such as Bobby Kennedy or Nelson Mandela.

III. Verbs That Can be Passive

Not all English verbs have both an active and passive form. The chart below provides guidelines about which verbs can be passive.

For more information on transitive and intransitive verbs, see Chapter 5.

11.6 Rapid Drill: Verbs That Can Be Passive

DIRECTIONS: If possible, change the active sentence to a passive sentence. Discuss the reason why the change may or may not be possible.

1. Alicia lay down on the cot to rest during the trip.

2. The sun rises at 6:00 A.M. every day.

3. In the beginning, immigrants earned their salary through manual labor.

4. This country has a very diverse ethnic makeup.

5. Hispanics make up a large percentage of the immigrant population.

6. As Li was preparing to board, the officer weighed his baggage.

7. When the immigrants saw the Statue of Liberty, they knew they had arrived in America.

8. Something strange happened when Sachi spoke with an American for the first time.

9. Many people died during the trip due to the harsh conditions.

10. The highest wave of immigration occurred during this period.

IV. Modals, Infinitives, and Gerunds in the Passive Voice

The following patterns are used for the passive voice of modals, infinitives, and gerunds.

MODALS

Simple: Modal + Be + Past Participle

Immigrants couldn’t be convinced that their lives would be more difficult in America.

Perfect: Modal + Have + Been + Past Participle

Immigrants must have been told about the opportunities in America.

INFINITIVES

Simple: To + Be + Past Participle

Many immigrants waited to be processed at Ellis Island.

Perfect: To + Have + Been + Past Participle

Many Immigrants felt lucky to have been rescued from their former lives.

GERUNDS

Simple: Being + Past Participle

Some people hated being packed onto a ship like sardines.

Perfect: Having Been + Past Participle

Many were grateful for having been given the opportunity to come to America.

11.7 Rapid Drill: Forming Passive Modals, Infinitives, and Gerunds

DIRECTIONS: Change each of the active verb forms below to the passive.

Example can’t drive can’t be driven

1. shouldn’t take ...

2. want to carry ...

3. like teaching ...

4. could have refused ...

5. regret having accepted ...

6. denied promising ...

7. have to tell ...

8. hope to hire ...

9. hated reminding ...

10. must sell ...

11. must have sent ...

13. can’t deliver ...

12. attempt to educate ...

14. remember checking ...

11.8 Written Drill: Using Passive Modals, Infinitives, and Gerunds

DIRECTIONS: The sentences below contain information about the immigrants to the United States who arrived in New York at Ellis Island in the late 1800s. Paraphrase each of the sentences, using a passive modal, gerund, or infinitive. For some sentences, there will be more than one choice.

Example

It was impossible for the government to accept all the immigrants.

All the immigrants couldn’t be accepted by the government.

It was impossible for all the immigrants to be accepted by the government.

1. It was necessary to impose limitations on the number of immigrants.

2. When they arrived at Ellis Island, it was impossible to process them immediately.

3. They left their countries because they wanted freedom from hunger and poverty.

4. They really enjoyed it when the boat was taking them far from the problems of their native country.

5. Many of them didn’t want to go through the examination and questioning at the port of entry because they feared rejection.

11.9 Paired Activity: A New Constitution

DIRECTIONS: What is freedom? How much freedom should people have? Discuss these questions with your partner and decide on five principles that you would include in a constitution if you were writing it for your country. Write the five principles on the lines below. Each statement should include a passive modal.

Example

People shouldn’t be refused the right to choose and practice their religion.

Grammatical Patterns Part TWO

Preview

DIRECTIONS: Read the following editorial that appeared in a local newspaper on July 5, the day after Independence Day in America.

Happy Fourth off July

1 Yesterday, on the Fourth of July, American independence once again was celebrated across the nation. Fireworks were set off, picnics were held in parks and on beaches, and parades were attended by young and old alike.

2 This is a holiday that has been celebrated by Americans every year for the last 200 years. We all get caught up In plans and activities so that we can get the most out of a day off from work, and if the holiday falls on a Friday or a Monday, the three- day weekend is an opportunity to take off from the city to a favorite getaway.

3 However, as with many holidays, the purpose and origin of the holiday itself are often lost in the excitement and preoccupation of the celebration. In the heat of the summer, the American memory should be taken back to the heat of a battle that was won by the spirit of independence, equality, and freedom. The American way of life should be characterized by that spirit, and that spirit should provide the Impetus and inspiration to continue the fight to uphold these principles. As the hamburgers are barbecued and the baseball games won, each American should reflect on the independence that was gained by our country many years ago, and which is still being sought by many. This is the independence that many in our country and all over the world are still struggling to achieve—independence from poverty and hunger, independence from repression and hatred, independence from the limitations that prevent human beings from living to their full potential.

VOCABULARY

set off: ignited and as a result exploded

get caught up in: get involved in

get the most out of: receive as much benefit as possible from something

getaway: a place to escape to

preoccupation: something that occupies all your time, energy, or thoughts

impetus: stimulus, incentive, impulse

barbecued: cooked outdoors over hot coals

repression: control that prevents natural development or expression

CULTURAL NOTE/DISCUSSION

Parades and picnics are the two host characteristic activities for the Fourth of July in America. Are these activities common for any holidays in your native country? What is a typical parade in your native country like? Describe a typical picnic.

Focus ON GRAMMAR

The following questions are based on the preview text and are designed to help you find out what you already know about the structures in this chapter. Work with a partner if your teacher tells you to do so.

1. Why are the first two sentences in the preview written in the passive voice?

2. The first sentence in paragraph 3 has no agent. Who is the agent? Why is the agent omitted?

3. Underline the agent in the second sentence in paragraph 3. Is it possible to omit this agent? Why or why not?

I. When To Use the Passive

The passive voice in English is actually used much more infrequently than the active voice. It is used most commonly in formal written English. The chart below explains when it is appropriate to use the passive voice.

11.10 Recognition Drill: Passive vs. Active

DIRECTIONS: Each pair of sentences below contains an active sentence and a passive sentence. Discuss the distinction between the two sentences and the rationale for using one rather than the other.

Example

a. American parents teach their children independence at an early age.

b. American children are taught independence at an early age.

In sentence a, the active voice is used to make it clear that it is parents who are teaching children independence, as opposed to teachers, society, etc.

In sentence b, the passive voice is used to emphasize the fact that independence is taught regardless of who may be the teacher.

I. a. In 1846, men, women, and children packed up and prepared for the journey west.

b. In 1846 men, women, and children were packed up and prepared for the journey west.

2. a. “Every day was like a picnic,” a girl remembered of her earliest weeks on the trail.

b. It was said that for the young children every day was like a picnic during the earliest weeks on the trail.

3. a. Circumstances often left children with responsibilities. They were asked to drive ox teams, care for herds, and join in family decisions.

b. Circumstances often left children with responsibilities. Their parents or other group members asked them to drive, ox teams, care for herds, and join in family decisions.

4. a. These children faced hardships and responsibilities that others never face until adulthood, which is why some psychologists suggest that they never really had a childhood.

b. These children faced hardships and responsibilities that others never faced until adulthood, which is why, as suggested by some psychologists, they never really had a childhood.

5. a. Disease and exhaustion were common during the journey. They were fought with the desire to stay alive.

b. Disease and exhaustion were common during the journey. The children and their parents fought disease and exhaustion with the desire to stay alive.

6. a. This journey taught these children many lessons that children today will never have the opportunity to experience.

b. Children were taught many lessons that children today will never have the opportunity to experience.

11.11 Written Activity: Cowboys

DIRECTIONS: The passage below about cowboys is written in the active voice. Decide which verbs should be written in the passive and make the changes in the text. Discuss your reason for making the changes.

Being a cowboy was not a romantic life as legend made it out to be. Cowboys had many problems as they traveled across the country rounding up cattle so that they could sell the animals in a different location. For example, in 1866 herders drove approximately 200,000 longhorns north across Indian territory toward Missouri. First, the Indians demanded payment for the grass the cattle ate along the way. Then, a group of angry Missouri farmers stood in the path of the herd demanding that they turn back because disease-carrying ticks had infested the cattle. Sometimes the cowboys sent the cattle to a distant town by railroad, in which case the cowboys had to prod the cattle up ramps with poles, a job that resulted in a lasting nickname — “cowpokes.”

11.12 Paired Activity: National Holidays

DIRECTIONS: Interview your partner about a national holiday he or she knows about such as Independence Day. Get as much information as possible about the history and traditions associ­ated with the holiday. Write a short report on the holiday, using the passive whenever appropriate. Be prepared to present the information to the rest of the class if your teacher asks you to do so.

II. When To Use the Agent

As well as knowing when the passive voice is necessary, it is important to know when the agent should be used. The chart below provides guidelines on when to use the agent in a passive sentence.

11.13 Rapid Drill: Using the Agent

DIRECTIONS: Each passive sentence below contains an agent. Discuss whether the agent is necessary, and if possible, omit the agent in the sentence.

Example

Because “The Star Spangled Banner” is the national anthem of the United States, it is sung by Americans before major sporting events. (The agent is unnecessary because it is obvious.)

1. Many pioneers were killed by the cruel weather and harsh living conditions.

2. A gross error was made by the president when he declared war.

3. “Paul Revere’s Ride” was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

4. The Navaho are a tribe of Native Americans. They are known by people for their turquoise and silver jewelry.

5. Ranchers kept their cattle in pens until they were sold and shipped out by the ranchers.

6. Many of the Texas rangers were Mexican. Their feelings about the difficult cattle drives were expressed by them in trail songs.

7. Life on the trail was described by one young, dedicated cowboy as an exciting but harrowing experience.

8. After the president was inaugurated by the people, he gave a speech.

9. The many experiences of life on the trail were recorded by writers to preserve the memory of such a rich experience.

10. Many current problems can be overcome by the same spirit of cooperation and commitment that helped to move the country foward in the early days of its history.

11.14 Written Activity: O.K.

DIRECTIONS: Below is a short passage about the origin and use of the word O.K. Above the box is a list of agents that can be used for the passive sentences in the passage. For each passive sentence, choose an appropriate agent. Then decide whether the agent should be added, and if so, where it should be added. Be prepared to justify your decision.

a. by the public    e. by speakers of English

b. by reporters    f. by Americans

c. by an amazing fact   g. by Allen Walker

d. by the average American  h. by travelers

O.K.? O.K.!

1 Recently, international travelers who pay attention to the languages they encounter have been surprised. Conversations with the word “O.K.” can be heard all over the world.

2 The word is used in the United States at least seven times per day. Therefore, the utterance “O.K.” is emitted into the American air more than 1.4 billion times every twenty- four hours. The word O.K. in English has replaced the expression all right, which is still used although far less frequently than it was one hundred years ago.

3 The most significant research into the history of O.K. has been done at Columbia University. O.K. was first seen in print in the Boston Morning Post of March 23, 1839. When the editor, Charles Gordon Green, was interviewed, he said it stood for all correct, spelled oil korrect.

11.15 Written Activity: Collecting Data

DIRECTIONS: Listen carefully to your teacher or other English speakers for the next few days and take notes as you listen for the word O.K. Report your findings to your partner or the class as a whole. Use the passive voice in a variety of tenses to describe each situation, and omit the agent when appropriate.

III. Passive Verbs that Function as Adjectives

There are some verbs that can function as adjectives when used in the passive voice. There are a few distinct categories of these verbs.

11.16 Rapid Drill: Active vs. Passive Participial Adjectives

DIRECTIONS: Below are some sentences about the origins of jazz. For each active sentence, make one sentence with a passive participal adjective and one sentence with an active participial adjective.

Example

The music amazed the public.

a. The public was amazed.

b. The music was amazing.

1. The drumbeat in Congo Square excited the people who gathered there to dance.

2. Ragtime music astonished the Creole musicians who first heard it.

3. The use of improvisation baffled other musicians.

4. The new rhythms of jazz confused traditional musicians.

5. The intensity of the music frustrated listeners.

6. This music sometimes bored people who couldn’t understand it.

7. The new music surprised the public as it spread.

8. The opportunities this new music represented interested young musicians.

9. The response of the public amused the first jazz musicians.

10. The freedom of this music annoyed conservative segments of the population.

11.17 Paired Activity: First Impressions

DIRECTIONS: Discuss with your partner your first impression of the United States or another country that you have visited. If you’ve never been abroad, discuss your first impressions of a city you’ve traveled to in your country. You will make a statement using either the active or passive participal form of one of the following verbs. Your partner will ask a question for more information, using the other form of the same verb. Choose from these verbs: surprise, shock, amaze, interest, amuse, frustrate.

Example

STUDENT 1: When I visited France, I was very surprised at how friendly the French people were.

STUDENT 2: Oh, really? Why was that friendliness so surprising to you?

STUDENT 1: Because I had been told that the French were not friendly to Americans.

11.18 Oral Activity: American Specialties

DIRECTIONS: Your teacher will assign you one of the following typical American foods. Interview an American to get the information listed at the top of page 277. If you are unable to interview an American, look for the information in the library.

FOODS

peanut butter

watermelon

coffee

hamburgers

pumpkin

corn on the cob

pancakes

banana split

french toast

corn on the cob

ORIGIN OF FOOD:

How IT IS PREPARED

HOW/WHEN/WHERE IT IS EATEN OR DRUNK

ANY ADDITIONAL CUSTOMES RELATED TO THIS FOOD

11.19 Written Activity

DIRECTIONS: Use the information you collected to write a paragraph that you will use as the basis for an oral presentation about the food you were assigned. Use the passive voice whenever possible and appropriate.

11.20 Written Drill: Review

DIRECTIONS: Use what you have learned about the passive voice to fill in the blanks below. Use the passive voice in the appropriate tense of the verbs in parentheses.

PHILIP: Hey, Gina, I hear you’re going to America soon.

GINA: Yes, I ... (invite) to visit my relatives in Florida.

PHILIP: Oh really? ... (tell) much about your family?

GINA: Well, I know that my grandfather’s cousin ... (send) to America before the outbreak of war. He ... (promise) a job in the butcher shop that another cousin owned at the time.

PHILIP: Boy, that must have been hard. ... (prepare) for what was waiting for him? Did he know any English?

GINA: I don’t think so, but apparently he ... (teach) by his cousin’s wife once he got to America. She was an English teacher.

PHILIP: That was fortunate. I guess immigrants ... (give) the kind of public assistance with English back then that they have now.

GINA: That’s right. They ... (expect) to learn on their own.

PHILIP: Well. I have a lot of respect for people like your uncle. They ... (confront) with a lot of obstacles.

GINA: Yes, but he ... (bring up) in poverty, so he could only look forward to a better life.

IV. Special Problems with the Passive

11.21 Editing Activity

DIRECTIONS: Some of the sentences below contain errors in the use of the passive voice. If there is an error, correct it clearly above the sentence. Some of the sentences may be correct.

1. America was establish on the principles of liberty, equality, and justice for all.

2. These principles are of utmost importance to Americans, so countless battles have been fought by Americans when equal rights have been abused.

3. The Constitution was written as a declaration of every American’s commitment to these principles.

4. It is sometimes said that these are idealistic notions.

5. Visitors to America are sometimes surprising by the variety of ethnic groups that make up the population.

6. Many minority groups have helped by persistence of civil rights leaders.

7. “The Star Spangled Banner,” the national anthem of the United States, was wrote by Francis Scott Key.

8. Halloween is an American holiday that children particularly enjoy. Americans celebrate Halloween on October 31.

9. Any tourist who crosses the border has to checked for proper immigration documents.

10. Jazz was born in America and is now played all over the world.

Focus on Writing

Differences Between the Be Passive and the Get Passive

Sometimes get can be used in place of be in passive constructions. The difference in meaning is demonstrated in the chart below.

11.22 Written Drill: Fill in the Blanks

DIRECTIONS: In each pair of sentences, fill in the blank of one sentence with the correct form of be and the blank of the other sentence with the correct form of get. Be prepared to justify your choice.

Example

a. Before the women’s liberation movement, women were paid less than men.

b. After the women’s liberation movement, women still got paid less than men for some jobs.

1. a. Some women ... swept into the movement.

b. Some women ... opposed to becoming involved with the movement.

2. a. The Feminine Mystique ... written by Betty Friedan, a feminist.

b. Betty Friedan’s book, The Feminine Mystique, ... published as a result of changing attitudes towards women.

3. a. Many women ... promoted from office work because of the victories they had won.

b. Many women ... promoted to higher-paying positions.

4. a. The effects of the women’s liberation movement ... felt by men all over the country.

b. The message of the women’s liberation movement ... carried across the country.

11.23 Paired Activity: Family Life

DIRECTIONS: Read the following short passage about the American family. Write a short essay about the characteristics of American family life and compare them with family traditions in your country. Use be and get with the passive whenever appropriate.

American family traditions are very different from family traditions in other countries around the world. American children are taught independence at an early age, so it is not uncommon for American teenagers to get hired at their first jobs when they’re 16 years old. This strong independence can also be seen when young people reach the age of 18. At this age, they usually move out of their parents’ house if they get accepted at a university or if they are offered a job. At a later age, it is not uncommon for families to be separated by long distances, although this doesn’t necessarily mean that a close relationship is not maintained.

11.24 Rapid Drill: Oral Paraphrase

DIRECTIONS: In each pair of sentences below, if the sentence describes a state, paraphrase it with be + past participle of the given verb. If the sentence describes a process, paraphrase it with get + past participle of the given verb.

Example

MARRY

a. Susan and Bill took their vows yesterday. They got married.

b. Susan and Bill live together. They are married.

1. DRESS

a. Sharon has clothes on.

b. Sharon has put her clothes on.

2. HURT

a. Marc smashed his finger in the door.

b. Marc has a bandage on his finger.

3. LOSE

a. They can’t find the street they are looking for.

b. They took a wrong turn.

4. BURN

a. The toast is black.

b. Somebody forgot to watch the toast.

Composition Topics

Use what you have learned in this chapter to write a well-developed essay about one of the following topics. Use the passive voice whenever appropriate.

1. Define the American dream giving examples of how that dream has been realized.

2. Describe the spirit of your native country, drawing on examples from the history, culture, and character of the people.

3. In your opinion, what human rights should be respected in any country? Give specific examples of how these rights can be upheld and how they are being disregarded.