assignment:
a job or task of somw sort, especially one given by a teacher
reflective:
adjective form of the verb ‘reflect’ a reflective surface is one that returns or bounces back the light that hits us; here the word is used metaphorically with a meaning close to ‘thoughtful’
fatal:
causing death
dose:
the amount of something that enters a person’s body
incapacitated:
unable to do certain things (mental or physical) because of illness, injury etc
edit:
improve a piece of writing by correcting errors, reorganizing etc.
get together with:
meet someone for conversation etc.
• writing activity for ‘Karen Wetterhahn’
1. writing assignment
• imagine that you are Karen Wetterhahn and that you have just learned that you have received a fatal dose of mercury poisoning, and that you will quickly become incapacitated and then die.
• write a “reflective” paragraph in which you express your honest thoughts about your present situation and your past life.
2. follow up
• after your paragraph has been corrected and edited exchange it with another student who has also done this activity
• while reading your partner’s work, make some notes concerning any differences or similarities between your partner’s response to this assignment and your own
• get together with your partner and discuss the assignment