Activity 1.2.3 - Inferring Information About a Speaker Using Voice

Activity 1.2.3 -

Inferring Information About a Speaker Using Voice

The following is one person’s description of pizza. What inferences can you draw about Speaker 1 based upon the speaker’s voice? Write your inferences in the graphic organizer that follows. Cite details of the speaker’s voice that led you to that conclusion.

Speaker 1: Eating pizza is rather like embarking on a transcontinental excursion. You embark on the journey without being quite certain of what you will encounter. A well-made pizza contains the aromatic essence of fresh basil, oregano, and garlic that beckon invitingly. Once you bite into a perfectly sliced piece of pizza, your taste buds awaken and celebrate. When properly prepared, pizza is an extraordinary culinary creation.

Inferences are justifiable only if they can be supported by textual evidence.

1. Discuss your conclusions about Speaker 1 with another set of partners, comparing the annotations and the inferences you have drawn based upon them.

2. Evaluate how supportable the inferences are based on the evidence you can provide to support your inferences.

3. Rank each of your inferences from “strongly supported by evidence” to “somewhat supported by evidence.” Be prepared to justify your inferences—and your rankings—by explaining how the textual evidence supports your conclusions.

4. Now read the remaining speakers’ descriptions with a partner, highlighting and annotating each passage for the diction, syntax, and imagery that contribute to the voice and tone. Write your annotations in the graphic organizer on the previous page to capture your responses.

Speaker 2: It’s yummy. I like it when the cheese is really gooey. My mom makes it for dinner on the weekends. When it’s too hot, I have to wait for it to cool. Mom says if I don’t wait I will burn my tongue. I like the way pizza smells. When I smell pizza cooking it always makes me want to eat it right up!

Inference about the speaker:_______________________

Speaker 3: As long as not one speck of gross disgusting animal flesh comes anywhere near my pizza, I can eat it. I prefer pizza with mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach. Goat cheese is especially nice too. A thin whole-wheat crust topped with imported cheese and organic vegetables makes a satisfying meal.

Inference about the speaker:_______________________

Speaker 4: Pizza is, like, one of the basic food groups, right? I mean, dude, who doesn’t eat pizza? Me and my friends order it like every day. We usually get pepperoni, and it’s great when they are, like, covering the whole top! Dude, hot steamy pizza dripping with cheese and loaded with pepperoni is awesome.

Inference about the speaker:_______________________