J155 Spring 2012 Assignments & Tests

Memorized passage

When does this happen?

On any odd-numbered session for each author. In other words, in the case of Kawabata, where we spend three sessions, I might ask you to repeat the memorized material on the first day we are covering him or on the third day we are covering him. I will draw cards, three of them. (However, if you have already answered once for that author you will not have to repeat the passage another time.) The system is random. You may be lucky and your card will never come up or you may be unlucky and have to answer for every author. The passage asked will be only the passage for that author. Once we have moved on to another author I will not ask about that passage again.

How does it work?

Sometime during class, usually towards the beginning, I'll draw a card, that student will repeat the passage; I'll draw a second card, that student will repeat the passage; then I'll draw a third card. After that student has repeated the passage, we are done.

How is it graded?

Memorization is to help imprint upon you the "flow" of the text: its structure, rhythm and so on. You should repeat it not breathlessly and quickly but rather in a way that reveals that flow and rhythm. I'm not very concerned about pronunciation or that some of the words are not exactly right; I'll be listening for the flow.

I do not compare students to each other; I simply ask "Did that student make good effort and more or less succeed at memorizing the flow of this passage?"

Obviously these grades are reference grades only since some students may never get graded on this assignment and others might have multiple grades.