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3085 Redefining America QUESTIONS Understanding and Interpreting 1. What initially impresses Joe Garcia about Swift, according to paragraph 1? What additional qualities does he grow to appreciate in her music over the years? 2. Taylor Swift%u2019s music means different things to Garcia depending on what%u2019s happening around him. Choose a few instances that illustrate these differences. How do these experiences add nuance to Garcia%u2019s appreciation of Swift? 3. What does Garcia mean at the end of paragraph 17 when he writes, %u201cHere we go again%u201d? In what ways does he feel a connection to Swift through the line from %u201cAnti-Hero%u201d? 4. Garcia asserts that %u201c[Swift%u2019s] must be champagne problems compare with mine%u201d (par. 20). What does he mean by this, and do you agree with him? Explain. QUESTIONS Analyzing Language, Style, and Structure 5. Vocabulary in Context. Garcia describes his experience of Swift%u2019s %u201cEverything Has Changed%u201d as one that causes him to feel %u201cexaltation and grief%u201d (par. 4). How does Garcia create a paradox by combining %u201cexaltation%u201d with %u201cgrief,%u201d and how can he feel both emotions at once? 6. Consider Garcia%u2019s opening sentence. What kind of mood and expectations does it establish at the beginning of the essay? Do you think Garcia is being blunt, provocative, humorous, or something else? 7. In paragraph 9, Garcia acknowledges a counterclaim to his argument when he admits, %u201cOf course, some people always think that Swift is the obnoxious sound.%u201d How does he refute this counterclaim? Explain whether you think he does so effectively. 8. Garcia%u2019s final paragraph includes a few questions that keep %u201c[him] up at night%u201d (par. 21). How does ending the essay this way further develop his overall argument? Is it an effective conclusion? Explain why or why not. QUESTIONS Topics for Composing 9. Analysis. Leonard Bernstein, an American musical conductor, composer, and pianist, stated, %u201cMusic can name the unnamable and communicate the unknowable.%u201d Analyze Garcia%u2019s article, and write an essay about how Taylor Swift%u2019s music lets Garcia %u201cname the unnamable and communicate the unknowable.%u201d 10. Multimodal. Choose a musician or group whose songs you have connected with in multiple ways and at different times in your life. Then, film a short video including clips from a few songs and in which you explain the relevance of these songs to specific experiences you have had. How have the songs helped you change for the better? Has your understanding of the lyrics shifted since you first heard them? 11. Speaking and Listening. In two groups, debate the value of Swift%u2019s contributions to music. Regardless of your personal opinion, do your best to support the position to which you%u2019ve been assigned. Each group could also choose a different artist and argue the merits of their chosen musician. QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS Copyright %u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Not for redistribution.