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El ensayo en la actualidad
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Task 1. Scan. Here the authors put forth several perspectives of the role of the essay in today's reality. Scan the paragraph on page 369 for answers to the following questions.

1.
What does Julio César López González say about the essay?
2.
According to the authors, the novel is the most popular literary form and the essay is the second most popular. To what do they attribute the essay's popularity?
3.
What does Oscar Sambrano Urdaneta add to the discussion?
4.
In the last sentence of this paragraph, the authors include you, the reader, when they refer to los jóvenes de hoy. What do they say about los jóvenes de hoy?
5.
Do you agree with what they say and do you include yourself in that group? Explain your answer.

Task 2. Test Yourself. Before you continue, make sure that you can answer the following questions without referring to your notes.

6.
How does the essay differ from the narrative, poetry, and drama?
7.
Within el género ensayístico there are two general types of composition. What are they and how would you describe them?
8.
The essay establishes its uniqueness through three characteristics: language, purpose, and point of view. Define each of these characteristics.
9.
What is Zeitgeist? Give several examples.
10.
What are the four classifications of essay presented by the authors, and what are some of the key differences between these classifications?
11.
What do the authors mean by the following statements?
  • "El ensayo tiene el propósito de mover el ánimo de los lectores."
  • "Por la forma literaria del ensayo, el momento y el lugar adquieren permanencia y universalidad."
12.
An essayist can present his or her persuasive message in two forms: la exposición and el argumento. Define each form based on its key characteristics and functions.
13.
Fill in the following diagram without referring to your notes.

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Task 3. Practice.

14.
Work through the Práctica section on pages 369-372 individually or with your study group. Be sure to discuss how you determine the answers.







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