RL.1.c
Description:
Key Ideas and Details
Read closely to comprehend texts of grade-level appropriate complexity:
Provide an objective summary of the text.
Maps to Reading Plus skills:
2C
Exemplars
2C: Summarizing
2C: Summarizing
Description:
Summarizing
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
L-24
L-24
Grade level: 12
Word count: 2818 words
Author: Geoffrey Chaucer
Synopsis: The General Prologue is the first part of a text written by Geoffrey Chaucer. Here, the first half of the Prologue is presented.
Excerpt:
"The Canterbury Tales," a collection of stories penned by renowned British poet Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 14th century, is thought by scholars to be one of the most influential contributions ever made to English literature. Praised not only for its representations of nearly every social type in the Middle Ages but also for its portrayals of complex and often contradictory personalities, "The Canterbury Tales" is often referred to as Chaucer's magnum opus. Despite the fact that the collection is unfinished (Chaucer died in 1400 before completing the tales) it quickly gained popularity and remains one of the most highly regarded and widely read literary achievements.
The collection is written as a frame narrative with the tales assembled in a specific order and preceded by an introduction. The characters are Christians from various walks of medieval life who assemble to go on a pilgrimage, or holy journey, from Southwark (a district of Central London) to Canterbury Cathedral (approximately 70 miles to the east). However, some of the pilgrims are social or political caricatures and the stories they tell cross a broad range of genres, reflecting Chaucer's literary dexterity and ability to write for nearly any purpose, from courtly tales of chivalry to scathing satire to rollicking comedy.
The collection is written as a frame narrative with the tales assembled in a specific order and preceded by an introduction. The characters are Christians from various walks of medieval life who assemble to go on a pilgrimage, or holy journey, from Southwark (a district of Central London) to Canterbury Cathedral (approximately 70 miles to the east). However, some of the pilgrims are social or political caricatures and the stories they tell cross a broad range of genres, reflecting Chaucer's literary dexterity and ability to write for nearly any purpose, from courtly tales of chivalry to scathing satire to rollicking comedy.
Question:
Based on the selection, "The Canterbury Tales" can best be described as
- an unfinished but valuable text that provides social and political commentary about a certain time and place.
- a fascinating but largely trivial work that functions more as an entertaining travel guide than a literary text.
- a compilation of personal letters and diaries that serve as a reminder of the difficulties of everyday medieval life.
- an anthology of formal documents esteemed for its precise explanations of both religious and secular laws.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Imagine you are an attorney. Prepare a summation of a selection you have read to present to a jury for deliberation.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions