Textbook Analysis Activity

Elements of Literature, Sixth Course: Literature of Britain with World Classics

Name_____________________________________________ Period_______ Date__________________
Part A. Table of Contents
1.

According to the Contents in Brief, what 7 literary time periods does this textbook cover?
1. _____________________________

5. ____________________________

2. _____________________________

6. ____________________________

3. _____________________________

7. ____________________________

4. _____________________________
2. After skimming through the main table of contents (viii xxiii), you may notice that each unit, or
literary time period, contains similar features, such as a timeline or a section called Communications
Workshops. List at least three other features that appear in each unit.
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
3. Refer to the Resource Center on xxiv. (A). In which section might you look to find the definition of
a literary term, such as personification? ___________________________________________________
(B). Look up the word personification in this section and copy the definition below.
Personification

(C). How are the terms in this section organized?

4. Writing a business letter and a research paper will be two critical assignments for the first semester,
which resource pages in this textbook would probably be MOST helpful with these assignments?

5. According to the section called Selections by Genre, what are 4 specific subgenres of nonfiction
that are included in this textbook?
1. _____________________________

3. _____________________________

2. _____________________________

4. _____________________________

Part B. Maps

Refer to the maps on pp. lvi lix to answer the following questions.

6. The United Kingdom (also called Great Britain) actually consists of four countries. List those four
countries (hint: Ireland is an independent nation and is NOT a part of the United Kingdom).

Textbook Analysis Activity

Elements of Literature, Sixth Course: Literature of Britain with World Classics
1. _____________________________

3. _____________________________

2. _____________________________

4. _____________________________

7. Aside from Ireland, what is the next nearest nation to Great Britain? _______________________
8. Referring to the insert of London, name three famous landmarks in that city.
1. ____________________________________________________________________
2._____________________________________________________________________
3._____________________________________________________________________
9. In which continent is the United Kingdom located? __________________________________
Part C. Collections Skim through Collections 1 & 2 (pp. 2-189) to answer the following.
10. Each unit begins with a timeline that lists important events in that time period. How are events on
the timeline organized?

11. This textbook contains many pictures and illustrations, and each includes a caption explaining what
the picture is of. What is the picture on page 11 of?

12. Each passage included vocabulary words called Words to Own. Where can definitions to these
terms be found?

13. What is the purpose of the definitions in the margins of the text, for example those on page 23?

How are these different from the Words to Own?

14. What types of text are found in the Connections sections of the textbook?

Why do you think these are included where they are?

15. Before many of the passages, the textbook includes a brief description of the author, such as the
one on page 152 about Giovanni Boccaccio. Why do you think it is important to know something about
the author before reading a passage?

Textbook Analysis Activity

Elements of Literature, Sixth Course: Literature of Britain with World Classics