In preparation for tomorrow's AP exam, we today examined two practice essay questions: a synthesis essay and a challenging rhetorical analysis passage by Thoreau. After Matthew read the 6 sources, he practiced drafting a thesis position and identifying which sources support the thesis and which source might be cited as an element of a concession . We further discussed how to craft a thesis in a larger context so as to avoid merely copying a source thesis. We next studied the more erudite passage by Thoreau. I provided instruction on analyzing this type of essay by focusing on a line of reasoning ,here compare/contrast and metaphorical symbolism to compare societal and man-made structures with Nature. I further noted how to discuss diction as an element of tone.