Making connections between what you read and your own life experiences is one important way to call upon and build background knowledge, or prior knowledge, about a topic. The journal prompts associated with each reading selection are designed to give you an opportunity to extend your experience with the topic of the article, and to think more about how it applies to your own life. You may use these prompts to get started, but the purpose of your journal is to write freely. If you find yourself going off in another direction than that indicated by the questions, that's fine. Any connections you can make with the reading topics will be valuable. Reading One: Ben Franklin: Man for All Reasons Benjamin Franklin is one example of a Renaissance Man, or "a person who has broad intellectual interests and is accomplished in both the arts and sciences." Does this lifestyle appeal to you? Why or why not? If you have the opportunity in your lifetime, what areas of expertise will you pursue? Explain why these fields appeal to you, and how you might become an expert in each area. Reading Two: Communication Close-Up at Ben and Jerry's Homemade Would you like to work for Ben and Jerry's Homemade, Inc.? Why or why not? If you would like to work there, what do you think would be the best part of the job? In which career field do you currently work, or hope to work? How could you apply what Ben and Jerry have done to your workplace? If you owned a company, what benefits and policies would you set up for your employees? Would you emulate, or imitate, Ben and Jerry? Reading Three: A Beginner's Guide to the World Economy Do you believe that the most prosperous nations have a responsibility to help Third World countries improve their economic situations? Why or why not? Besides forgiving debt, what are some other things that wealthy, industrialized countries could do to help people in developing countries? | 
2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education