Introduction
Writers use various
ways of getting and keeping the attention of readers. Since you will be
writing a biography and publishing it on the Internet, you want to be aware
of what makes an online biography interesting and informative.
Use the Internet resources to
answer the questions that follow. When you have finished, answer the
Big
Question by thinking about the discoveries you made reading the online
biographies.
Questions
1.
Jane Goodall is a famous animal-behavior scientist. Read about her childhood,
and describe an experience that shows she has always been fascinated with
animals.
http://www.janegoodall.org/jane/childhood.html
2. Joan of Arc
said, "Everything good that I have done, I have done at the command of
my voices." Explain this quote.
http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Tower/3098/annie.html
3. Read the
two biographies about P.T. Barnum. Which one did you enjoy more? Why?
http://www.barnum-museum.org/html/barnum.html
http://www.ringling.com/explore/history/ptbarnum_1.asp
4. Skim this
online biography of Anne Frank. How is it different from the other online
biographies you have read?
http://www.annefrank.com/site/af_life/af_scrpbk/af_scrpbk01/story01.html
5. Most of us
know that Bill Gates created Microsoft and is a very wealthy man. Read
the last paragraph of this biography and describe the Bill Gates that most
people don't know.
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/sguntina/Guntinas3/Bgates.html
6. Write two
words that describe Oprah Winfrey, and support your answers with details
from this biography.
http://www.oprah.com/about/press/about_press_bio.jhtml
7. List the
strengths and weakness of the online biography of King Henry VIII.
http://website.lineone.net/%7Eailsabrims/
8. SusyQ wants
to write a report on the career of actress Julie Andrews. Joanie wants
to write an article for a school magazine describing what kind of person
Ms. Andrews is. Who would benefit most from this online biography?
http://www.julieandrews.co.uk/biog.htm
9. Al Capone
had two sides to his personality. Explain.
http://www.chicagohs.org/history/capone.html
The
Big Question
You are the editor of the web site "Online Biographies.com", and have just
hired a new writer. This new employee has asked you:
"What should I include in
the biographies I write to keep my readers interested?"
Think about
the online biographies you have read. What did the authors of those biographies
include to make their writing interesting?
Write a memo to
your new employee that lists key elements of a fabulous online biography.
This Guided Tour was
written by Barbara DeRose on August 4, 2001. |
