english ii academic library

English II continues to build on the sequential development and integration of communication skills in four major areas—reading, writing, speaking, and listening. It focuses on deepening and furthering students' understanding in the following ways:Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Special Topics.

Some examples of the literary works encountered in this course are "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant, In His Steps by Charles Sheldon, Holy Sonnet XV by John Donne, and Velvet Shoes by Elinor Wylie.  
Download a copy of the ​English II Course Overview. You will find the goals for the course and the grading components and the grading scale for all NFC Academy courses.
ENGLISH II ONLINE
UNIT 1 - ​LANGUAGE STRUCTURE
UNIT 2 - WRITING EFFECTIVE SENTENCES
  1. Course Overview
  2. Forming Noun Plurals (1)
  3. Forming Noun Plurals (2)
  4. Forming Noun Plurals (3)
  5. Forming Noun Plurals (4)
  6. Forming Noun Plurals (5)
  7. Understanding Suffixes
  8. Adding Suffixes
  9. Word Use and Suffixes
  10. Quiz 1: Noun Plurals and Suffixes
  11. Relative and Interrogative Pronouns
  12. Demonstrative and Indefinite Pronouns
  13. Personal Pronouns
  14. Gender and Case in Pronouns
  15. Quiz 2: Pronouns
  16. Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement
  17. Pronoun Reference
  18. Adjective Clauses
  19. Adverb Clauses
  20. Noun Clauses
  21. Quiz 3: Clauses and Pronoun Reference
  22. Documentation
  23. Works Cited
  24. Parenthetical Citation
  25. Documentation Review
  26. Test: Language Structure
  27. Alternate Test: Language Structure
  1. Principal Parts and Participles
  2. Participles
  3. Infinitives
  4. Gerunds
  5. Quiz 1: Verbals
  6. Adjective Phrases
  7. Adverb Phrases
  8. Appositive Phrases and Direct Address
  9. Participial and Gerund Phrases
  10. Infinitive Phrases
  11. Quiz 2: Phrases
  12. Simple Sentences
  13. Compound Sentences
  14. Complex Sentences
  15. Essay: Effective Writing - Write an original prose of composition of about 200 using phrases, clauses, verbals, and various sentence types following the directions supplied for this assignment.
  16. Quiz 3: Sentences
  17. Test: Writing Effective Sentences
  18. Alternate Test: Writing Effective Sentences
UNIT 3 - WRITING AND READING SKILLS
UNIT 4 - SPEAKING AND LISTENING
  1. ​​Elements of the Sentence
  2. Elements of the Paragraph
  3. Connectives and Transitions
  4. Essay: Using Connectives – You will now be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of connectives and paragraphs. Write a complete paragraph selecting from the topics given to you.
  5. Development of Paragraphs
  6. Essay: Paragraphs - Select a topic that is suitable and narrow enough for a one-paragraph development.  List and number the ideas you will use to support and develop the main idea. Arrange and re-number the supporting and developing ideas in the most logical order. State the method which you are using to develop the main idea. Write the topic sentence, and a good clinching sentence. Write a coherent, unified paragraph based on steps one through four in the assignment.
  7. Quiz 1: Sentences and Paragraphs
  8. Exposition: Instructions
  9. Essay: How-to - Magazines, newspapers, and books offer abundant examples of "how-to" articles. To be effective, these articles should incorporate most, if not all, of the eight points characteristic of instruction sheets. Those points create clarity and give precise information to the reader. Writing must be instructive and logical if the reader is to learn. The article will not be credible if the directions are not given clearly. Write a "how-to" article, first select a subject that can be written about with authority. Be sure that you clearly understand the task so that you can give correct instructions. Be objective in writing "how-to" articles and follow the 8 steps given to maximize the usefulness of the article for the reader.
  10. Exposition: Events, Ideas, and Biography
  11. Essay: Biography - Compose an outline of a partial biography. Choose your subject. The person should be someone you know and whom you can contact easily. Write the subject's name on a sheet of paper and identify him or her. Interview the subject and then make a list of the significant dates of the first five years of the subject's life and give a brief explanation of why each date is significant. Make a similar list which covers the most recent five years of the subject's life.
  12. Quiz 2: Elements of Exposition
  13. Recognizing Main Ideas
  14. Advanced Reading Skills
  15. Project: Analyzing Expository Writing -  Using a dictionary and the methods outlined in section 1 of the preceding lesson, read the following passage taken from T.S. Eliot's "Tradition and the Individual Talent" and fill out the worksheet. What is the main idea of the paragraph?  Using a dictionary, context clues, or a priori knowledge, define the terms (in the sense that Eliot is using them). According to Eliot, is a work of art that conforms completely really a work of art? Type the sentence in which this information is found.  According to Eliot, should contemporary works of art be judged as “better” or “worse” than past ones? Type the sentence in which this information is found. Using a dictionary and the methods described at the beginning of the “Advanced Reading Skills” lesson, provide a “translation” of Eliot’s paragraph.
  16. Understanding Relationships
  17. Quiz 3: Reading Skills
  18. Value, Nature, and Role of Oral Reading
  19. Skills of Oral Reading
  20. Preparation for Oral Reading
  21. Quiz 4: Oral Reading
  22. Test: Writing and Reading Skills
  23. Alternate Test: Writing and Reading Skills
  1. Selecting and Limiting a Topic
  2. Choosing the Language (1)
  3. Choosing the Language (2)
  4. Essay: Writing a Speech - The first writing, or rough draft, of your speech has one goal: to get your ideas down on paper in an orderly manner. For this reason, you must follow your outline very closely, filling in each section as you go along. Check to see if you have used any vague or substandard language. If you have, omit any words that are meaningless fillers and correct any usage errors. Time an oral reading of your speech to see whether the speech meets the time constraints (Three to five minutes will be at least 800 words. Next, consider the tone of your speech. Is it too formal? Is it too informal? A speech of this kind should be more formal than a conversation with friends, but less formal than a professor's lecture to his class. Consider your audience. Is your speech too difficult for your intended audience? Is it too simplified? Is it too dull? Finally, refine the descriptive language. This refinement is the finishing touch. When you are satisfied with the order, the tone, and the appeal to the audience, then you are ready to examine the individual descriptive passages for accuracy and for interest.
  5. The Speech
  6. Quiz 1: Speaking
  7. The Nature of Listening
  8. Listening for Main Ideas
  9. Critical Listening
  10. Essay: Taking Notes - Practice the skill of taking notes from an oral presentation. You will need all the skills you have learned in the previous lessons. Select a sermon, lecture, or a program on public television. Listen for the main ideas, outline these ideas, point out the key words, and practice taking notes. Write a brief summary of what you have heard. Indicate the name of the program, sermon, or lecture; the date you heard it; the location; and the name of the speaker.
  11. Quiz 2: Critical Listening
  12. Test: Speaking and Listening
  13. Alternate Test: Speaking and Listening
UNIT 5 - THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENGLISH
  1. Changes in Language
  2. Changes in Vocabulary
  3. Changes in Meaning
  4. Etymology
  5. History of Words
  6. Project: Names - Surnames are important identifiers. A person's last name often carries a knowledge of their family's past or primary characteristic. Examining a surname can reveal details about cultures, values or relationships within a community. By researching internet or your local library, use the following questions to begin an investigation on the history surnames. What are patronymic names? What are matronymic names? Give three examples of prefixes or suffixes used to indicate patronymic names and an example of each (ex. -son, Erickson). Explain how nicknames became surnames. Give five examples of surnames that were nicknames.  Were all occupational names given literally the occupation of the person given the name. What is one reason a person might have received an ornamental or acquired name?  Give five examples of place or location names
  7. Connotations and Propaganda
  8. Quiz 1: Etymology
  9. Changes in Pronunciation and Spelling
  10. Morphemes
  11. Inflections
  12. Syntax and Word Relationships
  13. Quiz 2: Changes in Language
  14. Anglo-Saxons
  15. Norman Invasion
  16. The Renaissance
  17. Elizabethan English and the Age of Reason
  18. Colonization of America
  19. Westward Movement/Industrial Revolution
  20. Quiz 3: The Development of English
  21. Varieties of English: American and British
  22. American Regional Dialects
  23. Essay: Varieties - In this project, you have the opportunity to exercise some creativity in your writing while demonstrating awareness of the changing nature of our language. Write an essay. Choose one of the topics listed and write an essay of at least 400 words. It may be humorous or serious whichever you prefer. Use at least two sources to show differences between American and British English. Make sure each paragraph contains one main idea and support. Use complete sentences including compound and complex sentences. Include an introductory paragraph, proper transitions, and a conclusion. Make sure your paper contains no errors in conventions such as spelling or grammatical errors, and is at least 400 words long.
  24. Nonstandard and Standard English
  25. Essay: Newspaper - Not all informal language occurs in conversation and informal letters. You will be able to find examples of informal speech in newspapers as well. Record at least five examples you find, define them in general English, and label them according to type.
  26. Quiz 4: Varieties of English
  27. Test: The Development of English
  28. Alternate Test: The Development of English
UNIT 6 - THE SHORT STORY
  1. Short Story Elements
  2. Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
  3. The Lady, or the Tiger?
  4. Essay:  The Lady, or the Tiger? - Imagine that the story "The Lady or the Tiger?" is true. Write an essay of at least 125 words giving your own opinion about one of the listed questions. Use evidence from the text to support your opinion.  Clearly state your position and support it with evidence from "The Lady, or the Tiger?" Use specific quotes. Remember to document your quotes properly, using MLA format.
  5. The Necklace
  6. Essay: The Necklace - Responding to literature is one of the best ways of showing that you understand the story. Select one topic listed from The Necklace and write a response of at least 200 words. Use evidence from the text to support your opinion. Clearly state your position and support it with evidence from "The Necklace." Use specific quotes. Remember to document your quotes properly, using MLA format.
  7. Quiz 1: Short Story Elements
  8. Writing About Literature
  9. Project: Outline - Constructing an outline is an excellent way of organizing a literary critique. In this project, you will practice organizing your thoughts. In the table items are listed that might appear in a literary critique. In the first column are the major points; in the second column are minor points to be used in support of the major ideas. Use them to write an outline in standard outline form. Use two sub points under each main point. You will then have the basis for a sample outline that will help you in planning your own literary critique.
  10. Writing a Literary Critique
  11. Quiz 2: Writing About Literature
  12. Writing a Short Story
  13. Project: Preparing a Short Story - In preparation for writing your short story, you will need to think about the issues which the following questions ask you to consider. Be sure to follow all instructions and answer each question carefully. If you need to, reread the information in Lesson 7 on writing short stories. Remember you must answer all eighteen questions appropriately in order to be prepared to write a short story effectively.
  14. Essay: Writing a Short Story - You have now completed a great deal of the work on your story, and are ready to begin writing. Write rapidly for as long as you can, while the scenes and people are fresh in your mind. You may be able to finish only one incident or to write the whole story at one sitting. When your thoughts begin to wander, take a break and return a little later. Try to write your way through the entire story before doing the revisions you are sure to need.  Use the provided checklist to locate any weakness in your short story. When you have made the desired revisions in content, check your latest draft for mechanical errors, such as misspelled words and faulty punctuation. Your completed story should be at least 1,000 words long.
  15. Quiz 3: Using Writing Skills
  16. Test: The Short Story
  17. Alternate Test: The Short Story
UNIT 7 - STUDIES IN THE NOVEL
UNIT 8 - DRAMA
  1. Development of the Novel
  2. Drama and the Novel
  3. The Novelist and His Novel
  4. The Novelist and His Selection
  5. The Novelist and His Limits
  6. The Novelist: His Values and Detachment
  7. Quiz 1: The Novelist and the Novel
  8. Novel and Plot
  9. Character, Symbol, and Mood
  10. Essay: Raymond - Understanding characters often means understanding perspectives. When you can see how a character sees the world, you can understand their motivations. Write a short essay (at least 300 words) comparing how Maxwell, Norman, and the shabby stranger each viewed the city of Raymond. Clearly state your position and support it with evidence from the text. Use specific quotes. Remember to document your quotes properly, using MLA format.
  11. Quiz 2: In His Steps
  12. The Critical Essay
  13. Essay: Preparing the Review - Using the listed steps, prepare to write a critical review.  Write your outline.  Review characters, plot, and setting. Make notes. Write your review of characters, plot, and setting in the form of notes. Think about the strengths and weaknesses of each. Search the novel for strengths in technique. Again, make notes. Pay attention to strong or weak character development, strong or weak plot, how setting helps character development and action or overpowers them.
  14. Essay: Writing the Review - Now that you have completed the prewriting and planning stage of your review, you are ready to begin writing. What will you specifically review in In His Steps? Write out the thesis statement for your review. Before you move on to the next step, submit your thesis to your teacher, who will check to see if it is manageable and return it to you.  Write a finished outline of your book review. Be sure you can work with it.  Write your critical book review according to your outline. You must deal with character, plot, setting, and technique. Your review should be at least 500 words long.
  15. Quiz 3: The Critical Essay
  16. Test: Studies in the Novel
  17. Alternate Test: Studies in the Novel
  1. Greek Drama
  2. Roman Drama and Dramatic Elements
  3. Quiz 1: Understanding Drama
  4. Oral Interpretation and Christian Drama
  5. Everyman: Prologue (1-203)
  6. Everyman: Fellowship (204-316)
  7. Everyman: Kindred and Cousin (317-390)
  8. Everyman: Goods (391-462)
  9. Everyman: Good Deeds (463-521)
  10. Everyman: Knowledge and Confession (522-670)
  11. Everyman: Virtues (670-787)
  12. Everyman: Virtues Lost (788-861)
  13. Everyman: Epilogue (862-922)
  14. Essay: Everyman - In a brief report (100-200 words), relate the moral or lesson learned by Everyman to your own life as a Christian.  Clearly state your position and support it with evidence from the text. Use specific quotes. Make sure each paragraph contains one main idea and supporting details. Use complete sentences including compound and complex sentences. Include an introductory paragraph, proper transitions, and an appropriate conclusion.  Make sure your essay contains no errors in conventions such as spelling or grammatical errors.
  15. Quiz 2: Everyman
  16. Test: Drama
  17. Alternate Test: Drama
​UNIT 9 - POETRY
​UNIT 10 - REVIEW
  1. Poetic Form and Rhyme
  2. Meter and Diction
  3. Imagery and Figurative Language
  4. Figurative Language and Sound Effects
  5. Quiz 1: Elements of Poetry
  6. Literal Meaning
  7. Figurative and Symbolic Meaning
  8. Project: Poem Analysis - Choose a poem in this unit or in a poetry anthology. Use your literary critique skills and apply them to analyzing the poem.  Follow the steps and instructions given in the assignment.  Make sure you address: Poetic diction: Is the language appropriate to the subject matter? Does the language used add or detract from the meaning of the poem.  Rhyme and meter: Analyze the use of rhyme and meter. Poetic devices: Locate and discuss any poetic devices contained in the poem.  Figurative language and symbolism: Locate and discuss any figurative language and symbolism. Examine the elements and use them to interpret, analyze, and evaluate the poem.
  9. Project: Writing a Poem - Using some of the techniques of poetry you have studied in this unit, write a brief poem (8-10 lines). The poem may be iambic pentameter or free verse, rhymed or unrhymed. Beneath your poem, list the poetic devices that you used.
  10. Quiz 2: Poetic Meaning
  11. Test: Poetry
  12. Alternate Test: Poetry​
  1. The Development of English
  2. English Usage
  3. Noun Plurals
  4. Suffixes
  5. Verbals and Phrases
  6. Subordinate Clauses
  7. Pronouns
  8. Sentence Types
  9. Organizing Paragraphs
  10. Project: Paragraph - Compose two paragraphs using change of focus techniques.  Pay close attention to spelling, word formation, phrases, clauses, as well as sentence variety and arrangement. If necessary, refer to the instructions at the beginning of the previous lesson regarding how to write a paragraph.
  11. Punctuating Ideas
  12. Writing Compositions
  13. Essay: Critique - Choose one chapter from the novel “In His Steps,” making certain that it is an important chapter to the overall plot of the story. Reread the chapter carefully, take notes on it, and develop an outline for a literary critique using the instructions given.  Write an essay of at least 350 words in which you: Summarize the plot of the chapter. Analyze any minor conflicts addressed in the chapter; Analyze the characters featured in the chapter; interpret the theme(s) addressed in the chapter; Identify and evaluate any literary devices or figures of speech that appear in the chapter. Describe how the events in the chapter relate to the entire literary work, and explain why the chapter is important to the book as a whole.
  14. Quiz 1: English and Writing
  15. Preparing a Speech
  16. Writing and Delivering a Speech
  17. Project: Speech - Revise your literary critique until you think it would make an interesting speech. Practice it using the advice given in Lesson 13. Then, if possible deliver the speech to a group of people, or someone you select.
  18. Reading Literature to an Audience
  19. Project: Cutting - This assignment has you make cuts and appropriate interpretative marks in lines 22-203 of the play Everyman.
  20. Listening to a Speech
  21. Essay: Evaluating - Critique one of your pastor's messages or a political speech on television. Use these critical listening suggestions in evaluating the speech or message: What are the main points?; Do those main points make sense?; Are they supported with examples and/or facts?; Are the main points easy to understand and follow? Why or why not?; Do you trust the speaker's judgment? Why or why not?
  22. Quiz 2: Speaking and Listening
  23. Reading for Meaning
  24. Reading and Experiencing Poetry
  25. Interpreting Poetry
  26. Reading Drama
  27. Everyman
  28. Short Story Elements
  29. Reading Short Stories
  30. Reading a Novel
  31. Quiz 3: Literature
  32. Test: Review
  33. Alternate Test: Review