National 5 Close Reading - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

National 5 Close Reading

Question TypesSlide2

Advice

Read the full passage. You

will

get a question which requires you to summarise the key points or refer to different parts of the passage.

When answering questions about “language”, you should refer to word choice, imagery, sentence structure, tone etc.

Pay attention to the number of marks available for a question.

The approaches suggested here will work for most questions, but always think through exactly what the question asks for. Always check that you have answered it!Slide3

Word Choice

“Quote”

has

connotations of

_________.

Use

these connotations to answer

exactly

what the question asks.

With word choice questions, try to keep your quotations as focussed as possible. Avoid quoting more than one word, where possible.Slide4

Word Choice

On a damp afternoon we trudge through what was once possibly the most notorious housing estate in Scotland, until we reach a muddy field. We can see Edinburgh Castle on a hill in the distance. It's only a couple of miles away. But this scene feels a universe away from "Heritage Scotland".

Look at the paragraph, and explain how two examples of the writer’s word choice contribute to the gloomy atmosphere he wishes to create.

4 Slide5

Word Choice Answers

damp

(afternoon

)= unattractive

/

demoralising

weather

conditions

trudge =

dogged / laboured

progress

through

what was once

possibly

the most

notorious

housing

estate

in

Scotland = threatening surroundings

until

we reach a muddy

field = unattractive environment

this

scene feels a

universe

away from

"

Heritage

Scotland = suggests

contrast with

conventional attractiveness

Two examples + two analyses (1 +1, 1 + 1) Slide6

Own Words

Find the answer and put it in your own words as far as possible.

Try to use bullet points to help you keep track of how many points you have made.Slide7

Own Words

Richard

Holloway, the former Bishop of Edinburgh, heard about El Sistema,

the

Venezuelan music-education project that has transformed the lives of thousands

of

street kids and produced virtuoso musicians such as Gustavo

Dudamel

and the

Simon

Bolivar Symphony Orchestra. It works by giving children hours of orchestral

training

after school each day, rather than letting them drift into gangs, drugs and

crime

. If it could work in the grim

barrios

of Caracas, Holloway reasoned, why not in

an

infamous estate outside

Edinburgh?

Thus was Sistema Scotland born – and

Scotland In Harmony is

what they call the

Edinburgh pilot

scheme.

Look

at these lines and

then explain in your own words three of the things which El

Sistema

Venezuela and El Sistema Scotland have in common.

3 Slide8

Own Words Answers

Gloss

of “produced

virtuoso

musicians”

eg

had high quality of

output

or (by inference)

was

successful (1)

Gloss of “letting

[

children] drift into

gangs

, drugs and

crime

eg

prevention (1)

of

children breaking

the

law / going off the

rails

(1)

Gloss

of “giving

children

hours of

orchestral

training after

school

each day”

eg

providing intense

daily

musical education

(

must have idea of

extent or

regularity) (1)

Gloss

of “If it could

work

in the grim

barrios

of

Caracas Holloway

reasoned,

why

not in an infamous

estate

outside

Edinburgh”

eg

(parallel between)

disadvantage

in both

areas

(1

)Slide9

Sentence Structure / Punctuation

Name the technique.

Q

uote

if it’s not obvious which bit you’re about

to analyse

.

Then

make a comment

which answers

exactly

what the question asks

.

Look out for:

sentence

length

incomplete

(minor) sentences.

sentence

type

(including rhetorical questions)

patterns

within

sentences (including lists and repetition)

unusual

word

order

colons

.

i.e.

:

semi-colons.

i.e.

;

dashes

. i.e.

–

inverted commas

. i.e.

‘ ’

and

“ ”

ellipsis

. i.e.

…

commas, brackets and dashes used for

parenthesis

.Slide10

Sentence Structure / Punctuation

Name the technique.

Quote if it’s not obvious which bit you’re about to analyse.

Then make a comment which answers

exactly

what the question asks.

Examples

“Quote.” Here, the list of _____ emphasises that there are loads of

_____

.

“

Quote.” Here, the repetition of _____

throws

emphasis on _____

.

“

Quote.” Here, the minor sentence creates an abrupt tone, showing her

irritation

.

“

Quote.” Here, the short sentence makes it seem like everything is

speeding

up which creates tension and excitement.

“

Quote.” Here, the sentence is long and split up into various clauses. This

gives

the impression he is meandering slowly, taking in the view.

“

Quote.” Here, the parenthesis adds detail

about

_____

.

Slide11

Sentence Structure / Punctuation

Five years ago this place was, by all accounts, a frightening and depressing place to

visit

, let alone raise a family in. Average household incomes were below £7,000, a

third

of adults unemployed, fewer than one in four children destined for higher

education

, and a heap of illicit drugs traded by some particularly nasty types who

controlled

the

estate.

Look at the

paragraph,

and then explain how the idea of the

area being

“depressing” is continued by the

structure

of the second

sentence

(“Average … estate”).

2 Slide12

Sentence Structure /

Punctuation Answers

List

of _________

(1)

gives

idea of

cumulation

of adverse

factors

(1)

Identification of “list” alone = 0 marksSlide13

Linking

“

Quote” refers back to the previous idea about

_________.

“

Quote” refers forward to the next idea about

_________.

AND / OR

S

ometimes

there will be link phrases, for example:

The

link word “but” marks a change of direction from talking about

_________ to talking

about

__________.Slide14

Linking

Has it worked?

Scotland In Harmony isn't

shy about trumpeting itself, and there's scepticism in

some quarters. But my day in

Edinburgh suggested

that there is much to trumpet. Children now get music tuition from the cradle (I saw a

heartwarming

mums and

babes session in the morning) to …well, the first intake has now reached secondary

school

and will continue to adulthood.

Look

at the sentence “But my day in

Edinburgh suggested

that there is much to

trumpet”, and

then explain fully how this sentence helps to link the writer’s argument at

this

point.

2Slide15

Linking Answers

“But” indicates a contrast (1)

with the negativity / doubt / cynicism of the

previous

sentence (1)

OR

“much to trumpet” (1)

revisits

“trumpeting itself” in the previous

sentence (1)

or

introduces the (multiplicity or marked nature of

the

) successes the writer goes on to indicate (1

)

Comment on

the

musical

associations of

“trumpet”

is

not

acceptable

–

nothing

to

do

with

linkage specifiedSlide16

Imagery

“

Quote

”

Literally, ________ means / is _______

Which suggests __________Slide17

Imagery

The team

work tirelessly to remove any barrier preventing children from

taking

part

.

Some of the musicians are idolised

:

their posters

are on bedroom walls alongside footballers and pop stars

.

But

the project comes at a jaw-dropping cost.

Choose one of these examples of imagery. Explain what it means and analyse its effect.

2Slide18

Imagery Answers

“remove any barrier”

literally, a barrier is ________ (1

)

which suggests _________ (1)

OR

“idolised”

literally,

if something is idolised ________

(1) which suggests

_________

(1)

OR

“jaw-dropping cost”

literally, jaw dropping means _______

(1) which suggests

________

(1)

For

two marks

, candidates should

state

the comparison and show how

it

is linked to the example used in

the

passage. This would be

considered

a full analysis.

Full analysis of the image – 2 marks.

Weak analysis of the image – 1 mark. Slide19

Contrast

One

side/Before: “quote” +

comment / explanation

One

side/After: “quote” +

explanation.

Both

sides of the contrast/change have to be clear for full marks

.

Read the question carefully. Does it require quotation or paraphrasing (e.g. “explain” / “own words” etc.)Slide20

Contrast

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra plays a big part, because a dozen of its

members made regular

visits to

Edinburgh to coach

the most talented youngsters. "I found the place intimidating at first," said one

BBC SSO violinist. "I have no first-hand experience of drug abuse, or of children

being

raised by grandparents. I was brought up seven miles from Tunbridge Wells.

But

the children are just children. They are open, absorbent, friendly and, in some

cases, incredibly talented. The other day I found a little girl playing

Eine

Kleine

Nachtmusik

on her violin – by ear. I spoke to

one of the organisers about

her and he

said, 'There are two just as talented in the same family.'

Explain firstly why the professional violinist found

the estate “intimidating

at first”

and

secondly why this did not remain the case.

5 Slide21

Contrast Answers

Intimidating

because

(glosses of)

:

no

first-hand

experience

of drug

abuse

eg

has never seen /

has

not had direct /

personal

knowledge of

illegal drug-taking (1)

(no experience of)

children

being raised

by

grandparents

eg

absent parents or

dysfunctional

families

(1)

brought up seven miles

from

Tunbridge Wells

eg

geographically or

culturally

alien (may

cite

from knowledge

or infer

the status or

nature

of Tunbridge

Wells

)

(1)

Alteration

he began to see or (by inference) changed his

mind

because of (1)

the charm of the children (1)

and their ability (1) (gloss of “talent”)

Some

degree of own words required as question asks candidates to “explain

”.

Both sides required for more than 3 marks.Slide22

Other Techniques

Quote

Name the technique

Explain exactly how your quotation contributes to the passage

Common

Techniques

alliteration

onomatopoeia

oxymoron

juxtaposition

exaggeration (hyperbole

)

litotes

euphemism

pun

simile

/metaphor / personification – typically in imagery

questions

repetition

/ lists / climax – typically in sentence structure questionsSlide23

Tone / Attitude

Identify the tone / attitude

Q

uote to support your answer.

Explain exactly how your quotation created the tone / attitude.

Common

Attitudes

Positive

Negative

Common Tones

Formal / informal

Humorous / light hearted

Ironic / sarcastic

Angry / critical

Emotive / persuasive

Nostalgic

Optimistic

Pessimistic