Language, Gender and Culture
• Tannen “His Politeness Is Her Powerlessness”
• Brooks “Honor Code”
Activity 1: Gender Quiz
Take the gender quiz and
be prepared for answers
and spirited discussion 
Activity 2: Vocabulary Chart
Using the vocabulary chart, review the list of key
vocabulary words for each author, checking off any
words and/or their synonyms you know (meaning you
would recognize and understand these words if you
saw them in another context). Then, working
individually or in pairs, brainstorm an additional fifteen
synonyms in the far right column. You can find
synonyms using a number of resources: ask a classmate,
use your cell phone to find definitions, or use electronic
or print dictionaries.
Activity 3: Reading Brooks for Understanding
& Annotating Points of Interest and Questions
Read David Brooks’s article “Honor Code”, annotating any
particular points of interest or noting any places that need
clarification; then answer the following questions about it:
1.
Thinking back to the predictions you made in the PreReading Activities, which of your predictions turned out
to be true? If your prediction was inaccurate, what words
or phrases in the text misled you?
2. Write a single sentence in your own words that states
Brooks’s argument.
3. Write a 5 sentence response to his main argument. What
do you agree with, and what do you disagree with?
Activity 4: Thinking Critically
Questions
Questions about Logic (Logos)
1. How relevant and valid do you think Brooks’s evidence is?
2. Why does Brooks focus his discussion on boys?
Questions about the Writer (Ethos)
3. Based on what you read in his article & the information from
his biography, does Brooks have the appropriate background
to speak with authority about educational policy?
4. What does Brooks’s style and language tell the reader about
him?
Questions about Emotions (Pathos)
5. How does Brooks use humor or irony? How does that affect
your acceptance of his ideas?
Due now
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Activity 1: Gender Quiz
Activity 2: Vocabulary Chart
Activity 3: Responses to Brooks
Activity 4: 5 Thinking Critically Questions
Annotated Brooks article
Battle of the Sexes
Now we’re going to play a game; a healthy
competition amongst the genders. Divide
into boys vs. girls on each side of the room. I
am going to read questions for each gender
and keep track of the points. The winning
gender gets bragging rights for the week 
Choose a spokesperson for your answers.
No phones, no cheating.
Boys get ready for a question
How many days is the
average menstrual
cycle?
Answer
28 days
Girls get ready for a question
What does the CC in
an engine size rating
stand for?
Answer
Cubic Centimeters
Boys get ready for a question
What are sling-backs?
Answer
Shoes
Girls get ready for a question
How many X
chromosomes do
males usually have?
Answer
One
Boys get ready for a question
Complete the name of
this famous perfume:
Chanel Number ..?
Answer
Five
Girls get ready for a question
Where would you
find a dipstick?
Answer
In a car engine (for
checking oil)
Boys get ready for a question
Donna Karan, Anna Sui,
and Vera Wang are all
famous as what?
Answer
Fashion designers
Girls get ready for a question
In American football are
yard lines marked every
5 or 10 yards?
Answer
Five
Boys get ready for a question
True or False: Females
are born with all their
eggs.
Answer
True
Girls get ready for a question
In poker, what type of hand
contains three matching
cards of one rank and two
of another?
Answer
Full House
Boys get ready for a question
What does
exfoliation remove?
Answer
Dead skin cells
Girls get ready for a question
In automotive terms,
what does SUV stand
for?
Answer
Sports Utility Vehicle
Boys get ready for a question
Which insect eats its
male partner after
intercourse?
Answer
Praying mantis
Girls get ready for a question
In golf, what does the
term “bogey” mean?
Answer
One over par
Boys get ready for a question
How many weeks is the
typical pregnancy?
Answer
40
Girls get ready for a question
Is the aftershave
“Coolwater Deep” made by
Davidoff or Calvin Klein?
Answer
Davidoff
Boys get ready for a question
What term describes the
roll of fat that spills over
the top of one’s pants?
Answer
Muffin top
Girls get ready for a question
What do you use a
chamois for?
Answer
Cleaning (cars especially)
Boys get ready for your last question
Women have more of
which hormone than
men?
Answer
Estrogen
Girls get ready for your last question
What’s the name of the piece
of equipment you insert into
an electric drill when drilling?
Answer
Bit
Final Observations
What did you notice about how the
different teams competed? Was one
gender more competitive than the other?
Did this surprise you? Why or why not?
How would this game have been different
if the teams were mixed gender?
Language, Gender and Culture
• Tannen “His Politeness Is Her Powerlessness” and
• Brooks “Honor Code”
Activity 1: Reading Tannen for Understanding &
Annotating Points of Interest and Questions
Read Deborah Tannen’s article, “His Politeness is Her
Powerlessness”, annotating any particular points of interest or
noting any places that need clarification; then answer the
following questions about it:
1.
Thinking back to the predictions you made in the PreReading Activities, which of your predictions turned out to
be true? If your prediction was inaccurate, what words or
phrases in the text misled you?
2. Write a single sentence in your own words that states
Tannen’s argument.
3. Write a 5 sentence response to her main argument. What do
you agree with, and what do you disagree with?
Activity 2: Thinking Critically
Questions
Questions about Logic (Logos)
1. What evidence does Tannen offer to support her claims?
2. How relevant and valid do you think Tannen’s evidence is?
3. Why does Tannen focus her discussion on women?
Questions about the Writer (Ethos)
4. Why does she refer both to her own research and the research of
other authors?
5. Based on what you read in her chapter and the information from her
biography, does Tannen have the appropriate background to speak
with authority on this subject?
6. What does Tannen’s style and language tell the reader about her?
Questions about Emotions (Pathos)
7. Does Tannen use humor or irony? How does that affect your
acceptance of her ideas?
Activity 3: Modern Family
We are going to watch an episode of Modern
Family entitled “Two Monkeys and a Panda”. As
we watch the episode, fill in the worksheet and
see what you notice about how men and
women communicate. Be prepared to discuss.
Due Now
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Activity 1: Responses to Tannen
Activity 2: 7 Thinking Critically Questions
Activity 3: Modern family worksheet
Annotated Tannen article
Homework:
Conversation Notes & Observations
Your homework is to watch three
different kinds of conversations
(male-female, female-female, adultstudent, multiple person
conversation, etc.) and take notes on
what you observe.