Evaluation Reading for Understanding Analysis and Evaluation Contents Understanding Answering in your own words Link questions Analysis Language imagery sentence structure word choice ID: 688249
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Slide1
National 5 English
Reading for Understanding, Analysis and
EvaluationSlide2
Reading for Understanding, Analysis and
Evaluation
Contents
Understanding: Answering in your own
words, Link questions
Analysis: Language (imagery, sentence
structure, word choice)
EvaluationSlide3
Answering in your words
In a Reading for
Understanding
question, you may be asked to answer
‘In your own words’.Slide4
Answering in your words
This means you cannot directly quote key words and phrases. In addition, you should keep your answers
well-ordered
and to the point.Slide5
Writing your answer
Always write your answers in bullet points.
What are the benefits?Slide6
Writing your answer
Your answer is clearly defined
You can clearly see each point you have made
The marker can clearly see each point being madeSlide7
Worked Example 1
Dr
Caroline Schuster, a chartered psychologist, believes the appeal and the distinctive red-carpet look – long frocks and limousines – comes not only from US sitcoms and soaps such as My Super Sweet 16, Prom Queen and High School Musical, but also from a world where schoolgirls measure themselves against film stars and supermodels. Proms, she says, are an incitement to celebrity-fantasy. 'It gives you the chance to become as near a celebrity as you can.'
Question
In your own words
, summarise the reasons why school proms appeal to young people, according to lines 1 -
7Slide8
Worked Example 1
Writing your answer
There are THREE things to remember when answering this question, or a question like this.
First, the question guides you to where to look in the passage - you must take your answer from the lines indicated.
Second, you must try to change the words of the passage into your own words.
Third, you will see there are three marks available for this question. Use this as a guide, and try to find the four points to write down your answer. Slide9
Worked Example 1
3 bullet points in your own words
Reason 1
Reason 2
Reason 3Slide10
Worked Example 1 Answer
Your answer should look something like this:
Allows young to people to feel like celebrities
To enable the young people to live their dream
To be able to be the centre of attention
(3)Slide11
Answering in your words
Summary QuestionSlide12
Worked Example 2
Every detail has been overseen by the head of year. She is a believer in the prom as a rite of passage, centring on fun, dressing up and shared history. This is a celebration of their time with us.' Sheffield sees the prom more as a social opportunity, a chance to open up the mystical world of formal dining. 'There will be children who will never go to a formal function like this, so it is a lifetime experience for them. And for those who do find themselves moving in such circles, this will mean they will have learnt how to cope with it.’
Question
With reference to lines 1 - 10,
summarise
in your own words
, the various ways in which the school staff consider the event to be of benefit to those involved.
(6)Slide13
Worked Example 2
6 bullet points in your own words
Point 1
Point 2
Point 3
Point 4
Point 5
Point 6
6
marksSlide14
Worked Example 2 Answer
6
bullet points in your own words:
It shows the pupils are maturing into adults
It allows the staff to remember their time with the pupils.
It allows pupils to build social skills
Pupils can attend a grand occasion for the first time
Be able to manage being out of their comfort zone
To experience presenting themselves for a proper
occasionSlide15
Now you try
Using the answer formula learned, attempt the following question.
N.B.
Remember to use bullet points!Slide16
Now you try
It
is worth remembering the man for whose extraordinary talents the company expressly launched the comic in 1937 after the sensational impact of his new strips in its
Sunday Post
. Even as the clouds of war loomed,
The
Broons
and
Oor
Wullie
were already national institutions. Such was the brilliance of Dudley D Watkins that, of all the publisher's artists, he was one of only two in its empire allowed to sign their strips.
Question
In your own words
, briefly summarise
three
points made by the writer in the above paragraph which illustrate that Watkins’ talent was already recognised as exceptional in 1937?
3
Slide17
Answer
The characters he created were diverse
People still remember him long after he had
died
His talents are widely recognisedSlide18
Now you try
Think of long-distance lorry driving and the images that spring to mind are of burger stands in lay-bys,
Yorkie
bars and hairy male drivers. But next time you are on the motorway, take a second look at who is behind the wheel of that juggernaut in the slow lane. You may be surprised.
Once a rare sight on British roads, women lorry drivers are increasing in number. Better technology has made the driving easier and, along with female-friendly policies from companies, is helping to erode what was once the sole preserve of men.
Question
Look at paragraphs 1 and 2.
In your own words
, summarise what the drivers on the motorway will find surprising and what are the reasons given for this?
(3)
3 bullet points in your own words
What the surprise is
Reason 1
Reason 2Slide19
Now you try
Qin Shi Who? My reaction entirely. I had heard of the Terracotta Army, of course. I had even seen some of them when a vanguard of warriors came to London in the 1980s. But I couldn’t have told you who Qin
Shihuangdi
(pronounced
Chin
Shur
Hwang Dee
) was. Even if you’d said he was the First Emperor of China, I’d have had only the haziest recollection of what you were talking about.
Question
Looking in the above paragraph for your answer, explain
in your own words
what the writer’s original “reaction” to the name Qin
Shihuangdi
was.Slide20
Now you try
Qin chariots had an improved design of smaller wheels with more spokes that provided greater stability and durability. The width of axles was made uniform, a seemingly small innovation with massive repercussions: the chariots could ride relatively smoothly down the same ruts in the road and so avoid churning up the entire highway.
Question
Explain
in your own words two
of the consequences of the improvements Qin made to his war chariots.Slide21
Now you try
The topic of this text was ‘a notorious species of spider’, the tarantula, and the narrator was the spider itself.
‘I’m nocturnal. I love the moonlight, the shadows, the dark places, the dappled murk. I’m not being poetic. I’m simply being true to my nature, my nocturnal nature. Like all tarantulas.’
Question
In your own words, in what way is the speaker ‘like all tarantulas’ according to the first paragraph? Slide22
Now you try
Think of long-distance lorry driving and the images that spring to mind are of burger stands in lay-bys,
Yorkie
bars and hairy male drivers. But next time you are on the motorway, take a second look at who is behind the wheel of that juggernaut in the slow lane. You may be surprised.
Once a rare sight on British roads, women lorry drivers are increasing in number. Better technology has made the driving easier and, along with female-friendly policies from companies, is helping to erode what was once the sole preserve of men.
Question
Look at paragraphs 1 and 2.
In your own words
, summarise what the drivers on the motorway will find surprising and what are the reasons given for this?
(3)Slide23
Reading for Understanding:
Link QuestionsSlide24
Link QuestionsSlide25
The Link Question
The wording of these questions is usually:
“ Show how the (opening ) sentence of paragraph 3
acts as a link between
paragraph 2 and paragraph 3 “
This type of question is designed to test:
your
understanding of meaning
your appreciation of
the structure of a text.Slide26
The Link Question
As you know , good writing is planned and structured.
One of the ways this is done is by the writer providing a link between paragraphs. Slide27
Strategy of Attack
The link sentence often comes at the very start of a paragraph
Read the first sentence and look for words that link back to the last paragraph
Write those words down
Explain how they create a link back
Find words in the first sentence that link forward
Explain how they create a link forwardSlide28
How to answer the question
Quote the words from the first (or appropriate part of the sentence (
Quotation X
).
Show how they
refer back
to the earlier section.
Quote the words form the later section (
Quotation Y
).
Explain how they
introduce
what is coming next.
You must be
specific to the actual context
of the passage.
You must explain
HOW
it is done not just assert it is done.Slide29
Answer format
Copy down the following answer format:
“quotation X” refers back to the previous section where…….
“quotation Y” introduces the next section which………Slide30
An extract from an article in USA Today, in which Kevin Maney is surprised about some new thinking on the value of video games
It’s summer vacation. The kids have acres of time to fill. So, of course, they’re in the basement playing some video games that involves either weapons or skateboards. Who can doubt that their minds are turning into chipped beef on toast as they sit in the dim light, their educations and social lives leaking away? As a conscientious parent, I feel a gravitational pull to say these words: "Turn that off and read a book!” or play piano, or run outside, or get in a street fight. Anything but play more video games.
Except apparently that kind of thinking is all wrong
. It is about to become as dated as the four basic food groups, the philosophy of spare the rod and spoil the child, and asbestos as a safety feature. Video games might be about the best thing your kids can do to ensure their future success. Better, even, than reading. Which feels a lot like the moment in
Sleeper
when Woody Allen finds out that in 2173, cream pies and hot fudge are health foods. Question
Question
How does the sentence “
Except apparently that kind of thinking is all wrong
.” act as a link between the two paragraphs and show us the writer’s line of argument?Slide31
An extract from an article in USA Today, in which Kevin Maney is surprised about some new thinking on the value of video games
It’s summer vacation. The kids have acres of time to fill. So, of course, they’re in the basement playing some video games that involves either weapons or skateboards.
Who
can doubt that their minds are turning into chipped beef on toast as they sit in the dim light, their educations and social lives leaking away? As a conscientious parent, I feel a gravitational pull to say these words: "Turn that off and read a book!” or play piano, or run outside, or get in a street fight. Anything but play more video games
.
Except apparently
that kind of thinking
is
all wrong
.
It is about to become as dated as the four basic food groups, the philosophy of spare the rod and spoil the child, and asbestos as a safety feature. Video games might be about the best thing your kids can do to ensure their future success. Better, even, than reading. Which feels a lot like the moment in
Sleeper
when Woody Allen finds out that in 2173, cream pies and hot fudge are health foods.Slide32
Answer “
That kind of thinking
” refers back to the previous paragraph which gave the view that video games are detrimental to children and that virtually anything else would be better.
“all wrong”
introduces the argument against this in the rest of the paragraph that criticism of video games is old fashioned ( which the writer finds hard to believe)Slide33
In this extract Lucy McDonald looks into the world of women lorry drivers.
Kaz
Horrocks
is a long-distance lorry driver. “I was bored in my old job,” she says, “and I enjoy the solitude of driving. Every day is different—sometimes I see amazing sunsets and lambs playing in the fields. I love it when you see the year’s first hawthorn blossom
and know that spring is near.”
Neither hawthorn nor lambs are in evidence when I meet
Kaz
at six o’clock one dismal June morning in a lorry park. About 100 lorries have
overnighted
here. They are in lines, slumbering giants on the asphalt, their cab curtains drawn tightly as the drivers sleep inside.
Question
How does the sentence “
Neither hawthorn … in a lorry park.
” act as a link between the two paragraphs and show us the reality of
Kaz’s
life as a lorry driver?Slide34
Kaz
Horrocks
is a long-distance lorry driver. “I was bored in my old job,” she says, “and I enjoy the solitude of driving. Every day is different—sometimes I see amazing sunsets and lambs playing in the fields. I love it when you see the year’s first hawthorn blossom
and know that spring is near.”
Neither hawthorn nor lambs are in evidence when I meet
Kaz
at six o’clock one dismal June morning in a lorry park.
About 100 lorries have
overnighted
here. They are in lines, slumbering giants on the asphalt, their cab curtains drawn tightly as the drivers sleep inside.
Question
How does the sentence “Neither hawthorn … in a lorry park.” act as a link between the two paragraphs and show us the reality of
Kaz’s
life as a lorry driver?Slide35
Kaz
Horrocks
is a long-distance lorry driver. “I was bored in my old job,” she says, “and I enjoy the solitude of driving. Every day is different—sometimes I see amazing sunsets and lambs playing in the fields. I love it when you see the year’s first hawthorn blossom and know that spring is near.”
Neither hawthorn nor lambs
are in evidence when I meet
Kaz
at six o’clock one
dismal June morning
in a lorry park.
About 100 lorries have
overnighted
here. They are in lines, slumbering giants on the asphalt, their cab curtains drawn tightly as the drivers sleep inside.Slide36
Answer “
Neither hawthorn nor lambs
” refers back to the previous paragraph which gives the idea that the things she can see: spring, nature, animals are the things
Kaz
enjoys about being a lorry driver.
“
dismal June morning
” introduces the idea that this is the reality of her job, dull, mundane, etc (the opposite of what she would have wanted).Slide37
Now try it for yourself
According to the publicans, it’s all the fault of the supermarkets, who offer alcohol at astonishingly irresponsible cut-prices and make getting drunk at home (or in the street) so much cheaper than going to a pub that, in these turbulent economic times, there’s really no contest for the impoverished serious drinker.
But fashionable though it is to lay the blame for all social ailments at the doors of the giant supermarkets, this particular thesis doesn’t quite add up.
After all, supermarkets also flog coffee, yet the invasion of every high street by Starbucks, Costa, Caffe Nero and all those other interchangeable coffee chains suggests that people are quite happy to frequent establishments selling exorbitantly priced beverages if the ambience is congenial and the clientele civilised. The coffee shops appeal to people who would nowadays never dream of spending an hour in the local boozer.Slide38
Now try it for yourself
According to the publicans, it’s all the fault of the supermarkets, who offer alcohol at astonishingly irresponsible cut-prices and make getting drunk at home (or in the street) so much cheaper than going to a pub that, in these turbulent economic times, there’s really no contest for the impoverished serious drinker.
But fashionable though it is to lay
the blame
for all social ailments at the doors of the giant supermarkets, this particular thesis
doesn’t quite add up.
After all, supermarkets also flog coffee, yet the invasion of every high street by Starbucks, Costa, Caffe Nero and all those other interchangeable coffee chains suggests that people are quite happy to frequent establishments selling exorbitantly priced beverages if the ambience is congenial and the clientele civilised. The coffee shops appeal to people who would nowadays never dream of spending an hour in the local boozer.Slide39
Answer
“
blame
” refers back to the previous paragraph which claims that supermarkets selling alcohol cheaply is why so many pubs have closed.
“
doesn’t quite add up
” introduces the idea in the next paragraph where the writer suggests there is a flaw in this argument by discussing the coffee shops are full but expensive.Slide40
Now try it for yourself
There’s something irresistible about the smell of fried bacon. It’s one of the delights of being a meat eater and possibly the single most common reason why weak-willed vegetarians throw in the towel. For some, the joy of bacon in rashers squeezed between factory-sliced white bread and smeared with tomato ketchup. For others, it’s the crisp slice of streaky bacon on the British breakfast plate, ready to be dipped into a runny yellow yolk or a dollop of baked beans. And our love affair shows no sign of fading. A recent poll of Britain’s best-loved 100 foods saw bacon as number one, beating chicken into second place and knocking chocolate into third.
But while one in ten Britons claim bacon as their favourite, are those rashers that sizzle so seductively in the pan what they seem?
One problem may lie in a form of iron called
haem
that is found naturally in red meats such as beef, lamb and pork. It can trigger the formation of substances called N-
nitroso
compounds (
NOCs
) in the body which can damage the lining of the bowel. Some types of
NOCs
have been linked to bowel cancer.
Question
With close reference to the text, explain clearly how the last sentence in paragraph 1 (‘But while one in ten…what they seem?) acts as a link in the structure of the writer’s argument.
3Slide41
Now try it for yourself
There’s something irresistible about the smell of fried bacon. It’s one of the delights of being a meat eater and possibly the single most common reason why weak-willed vegetarians throw in the towel. For some, the joy of bacon in rashers squeezed between factory-sliced white bread and smeared with tomato ketchup. For others, it’s the crisp slice of streaky bacon on the British breakfast plate, ready to be dipped into a runny yellow yolk or a dollop of baked beans. And our love affair shows no sign of fading. A recent poll of Britain’s best-loved 100 foods saw bacon as number one, beating chicken into second place and knocking chocolate into third.
But while one in ten Britons claim
bacon as their favourite
, are those rashers that sizzle so seductively in the pan
what they seem?
One problem may lie in a form of iron called
haem
that is found naturally in red meats such as beef, lamb and pork. It can trigger the formation of substances called N-
nitroso
compounds (
NOCs
) in the body which can damage the lining of the bowel. Some types of
NOCs
have been linked to bowel cancer. Slide42
Answer
“
bacon as their favourite
” refers back to the previous paragraph which claims that the public enjoy the taste and smell of bacon and that it is a preferred food.
“
what they seem?
” introduces the idea in the next paragraph where the writer suggests that bacon may not be as good for us as we think due to chemicals linked to diseases. Slide43
Reading for Analysis
Analysis QuestionsSlide44
Analysis Questions
Analysis Questions cover different aspects of the writer’s use of language. These are:
Imagery
Sentence Structure
Word Choice Slide45
Imagery
Imagery deals with the techniques
Simile
Metaphor
PersonificationSlide46
Imagery
Writers use imagery to
Strengthen their description
To put pictures or images into the reader’s mind
To show how one thing is like anotherSlide47
Answering a question on imagery
When answering a question on imagery remember that the key here is that the writer is trying to make a point , or suggest meaning by comparing one thing to another.
From the similarity between the two elements of the comparison a suggested meaning (or meanings) comes across
In this type of explanation, the fuller your explanation the more marks you will be awardedSlide48
Worked Example 1
Ten years ago we did not have school proms to mark the milestones of GCSEs and A-levels. We had end-of-exam discos.
Question
Explain how the writer uses the metaphor ‘milestones’ (line 8) to support her point about the significance of GCSE and A-level exams.
3Slide49
Worked Example 1
Answer in bullet points
Point 1
Point 2
Point 3Slide50
Answer
Remember to use bullet points for each comment
‘Milestones’ suggests ‘GCSE and A-level’ are achievements in life
1
‘Milestones’ indicates a journey has been travelled
1
‘GCSE and A-level’ each represent different points in a pupil’s life like a milestone.
1
3 marksSlide51
Worked Example 2
What the group (One Direction) needs is better 40-year-olds. The album and the band are like a dull grey sphere, with few flaws and fewer distinguishing marks
Question
Explain fully the writer’s use of the ‘sphere’ simile to make a negative point about One Direction.
2Slide52
Answer
There is nothing in sphere to make it interesting and special.
A sphere is perfectly round and boring.
The word dull suggests uninteresting.
The colour ‘grey’ suggests lifeless, not vibrant, washed out, etc. Slide53
Now you try
The rain raced along horizontally, sticking into them like glass splinters till they were wet through.
Question
What does the imagery used above suggest about the rain and it effects.
2
Quote and Identify the image(s).
Comment on the effectiveness of the technique on
the readerSlide54
Answer
The rain
raced
along
horizontally
, sticking into them like glass splinters till they were wet through.
Question
What does the imagery used above suggest about the rain and it effects.
2
Answer
“The rain raced along horizontally”. Personification
The use of “raced” suggests the extremely rapid speed at which the rain travelled. “Horizontal” emphasises the way in which the rain was driven by a strong wind.Slide55
Now you try
The rain raced along horizontally, sticking into them like glass splinters till they were wet through.
Question
What does the imagery used above suggest about the rain and it effects.
2Slide56
Answer
The rain raced along horizontally, sticking into them
like glass splinters
till they were wet through.
Question
What does the imagery used above suggest about the rain and it effects. 2
Answer
“glass splinters” are small and sharp and can become embedded and cause pain
effectively conveys how sharp and penetrating the rain as and suggests it hit the people with such force that it was almost like a series of physical attacks.
It also has connotations of pain: being wounded by glass splinters would be extremely painful as is the force of this rainSlide57
Now you try
Too many tourists are so wedded to their camera that they cease to respond directly to the beauty of the places they visit. They are content to take home a dozen rolls of exposed film instead, like a bank full of monopoly money.
Question
Show how the simile highlights the writer’s disapproval of the behaviour of the tourists.
2Slide58
Now you try
Built like a gorilla but less timid…
he walks the sidewalk and the thin tissue over
violence (
Brooklyn Cop
)
Question
Comment on the imagery used and what it suggests about the policeman. 2Slide59
Now you try
Growing up devoid of freedom, decision-making, and the opportunity to learn from taking their own risks, our children are becoming trapped, neurotic, and as genetically weakened as battery hens.
Question
How effective do you find the image of “battery hens” in conveying the writer’s view of how children are currently being brought up?
Slide60
Now you try
So we keep children indoors and gild the cage with bedroom televisions and computer consoles.
Question
Comment on the imagery in this sentence. Slide61
Now you try
Recently, a newspaper article headed “I h8 txt
msgs
: how
texting
is wrecking our language” argued that
texters
are “vandals who are doing to our language what Genghis Khan did to his neighbours 800 years ago. They are destroying it: pillaging our punctuation; savaging our sentences.”
As a new variety of language,
texting
has been condemned as “
textese
”, “
slanguage
”, a “digital virus”, “bleak, bald, sad shorthand”, “drab
shrinktalk
which masks dyslexia, poor spelling and mental laziness”.
Choose any two examples of imagery used to criticise
texting
in paragraphs 1 and 2 and explain how each does so. (4)Slide62
Now you try
There’s something irresistible about the smell of fried bacon. It’s one of the delights of being a meat eater and possibly the single most common reason why weak-willed vegetarians throw in the towel. For some, the joy of bacon in rashers squeezed between factory-sliced white bread and smeared with tomato ketchup. For others, it’s the crisp slice of streaky bacon on the British breakfast plate, ready to be dipped into a runny yellow yolk or a dollop of baked beans. And our love affair shows no sign of fading. A recent poll of Britain’s best-loved 100 foods saw bacon as number one, beating chicken into second place and knocking chocolate into third. But while one in ten Britons claim bacon as their favourite, are those rashers that sizzle so seductively in the pan what they seem?
Question
Show how the writer engages the reader’s attention in the opening paragraph by appealing to a number of the
senses
. Comment on the writer’s word choice and support your answer with a quotation. Choose
one
of the following images:
“weak-willed vegetarians throw in the towel”
“our love affair shows no sign of fading”
“…bacon as number one, beating chicken into second place and knocking chocolate into third”
Explain why the image you have chosen is effective in describing the writer’s meaning.
3Slide63
Reading for Analysis
Sentence StructureSlide64
Sentence Structure
These
questions are usually triggered by
“ Comment on the sentence structure…”
or
“Show how the sentence structure
…….”
As with any other features you are analysing,
identification alone is not enough.
Also your answer must cover
more than just the meaning.
Your answer must also be
context specific to the article and
not just the usual effect of the feature in general.Slide65
Sentence Structure
Warning!
Remember that a
question on sentence
structure
does
not want to you to explain what the writer
means does
not want you simply to identify the structure or use of
punctuation, etc.
It is asking you to comment on how the sentence is put together and the effect it has.Slide66
Sentence Structure: Key points
There are usually FIVE main possibilities when analysing sentence structure:
Punctuation and lists
Length of sentence(s)
Use of sentence patterns ( climax, anti-climax antithesis, etc.)
Repetition
Syntax or word orderSlide67
Punctuation: why?
It aids understanding
It gives clues to the reader about
When a point is finished (.)
When there is doubt (“” and ?)
The tone (!)
Extra information or explanations (,, -- () : )
a link or balance between statements (;)
Separate items in a complicated list (;)Slide68
What do punctuation questions ask?
You are usually asked to explain
why
punctuation has been used or
the effect created.
Often questions are about areas or examples where there is a
departure from normal
usage or the punctuation is used for a
particular effect.
Thus
it is important that
you know and understand the rules of punctuation.Slide69
Common punctuation focus
Most
common specific questions are
about;
Colons ( : )
Semicolons ( ; )
Inverted commas( “ “ )
Dashes ( - )
Brackets( ( ) )
Pairs of commas
Unusual
uses
Occasionally you may be asked as part of a
larger question
to comment on more common punctuation e.g. capital letters, exclamation marks, etc.Slide70
Common uses commonly asked about
in
PARENTHESIS ( any interruption, or additional information, in the flow of the sentence which can be removed and still leave a sentence that makes sense)
To pass
National 5 -
as my English teacher keeps telling
me -
all I have to do is pay attention and study
.
to separate two phrases from one sentence especially
in INVERTED SENTENCES.
Because you have paid attention and studied, I know you will pass Higher EnglishSlide71
Comma
This is used to separate words or items in a
list
e.g.
Mr Smith’s class are a mixed bunch: there are the workers
,
the sleepers
,
the last minute arrivals
,
the chatty ones and the silent watchers.Slide72
The exclamation mark !
This
is usedto show some sort of
strong feeling or emotion
to show someone is
shouting
after
exclamations
e.g.
Yuck!
Oooh
!
To show
emphasis
or something is stressed as important.
NB
These are most effective if used rarely and usually only one per sentence unless to create effect.
Slide73
The question mark ?
This is
used:
at
the end of a
question
to
turn a
statement into a
question (rhetorical question)
to
show that the speaker has
some doubt or is questioning the factsSlide74
Inverted Commas/ Speech Marks/ Quotation Marks ( “ “ )
These have four main purposes:
to indicate the
title of a literary text, film,
play,
etc.
to indicate
direct speech
for
quotations
to mark off
an individual word
or
phrase
from the rest of the sentence ( sometimes put in
italics
instead) This is usually used for
foreign phrases
slang
sarcasm or a word or term a writer does not agree with
(like
adding so-called)Slide75
the Dash ( - )
This is usually used
to
cut off an afterthought or added example or explanation from the rest of the sentence ( like commas in PARENTHESIS
)
If you want to pass
National 5
English – and any other subject – you need to sort out your priorities.
to
separate a surprise or abrupt
change
to
link a series of disconnected phrases like a list or outpouring of
ideas
a
single dash can be used to add on extra information much as a colon
does
to
convey hesitation within , or a breaking off at the end of a sentence
Now, I hope there won’t be any more interruptions today because
–Slide76
Brackets ()These are used
Like dashes and commas to show
PARENTHESIS
There is so much to learn about punctuation
(especially
for use in Interpretation) that I am getting confused
.
To show an author or character adding in an
aside or their own opinion
All
politicians ( at least so they would have you believe) are hard working and honest.Slide77
Worked Example 1
The panel divided into two teams. One offered a number of alternative. These included
:
a
“
Landscape of Thorns
” –
a square mile of randomly-spaced 80ft basalt spikes which jut out of the ground at different angles
;
“
Menacing Earthworks
” –
giant mounds surrounding s 2000ft map of the world displaying all the planet’s nuclear waste dumps
;
a
“
Black Hole
” –
a huge slab of black concrete that absorbs so much solar heat that it is impossible to approach.
Question
Show how the punctuation of the sentence beginning “These included…” is particularly helpful in following the argument at this stage.Slide78
Answer
The punctuation helps separate out the various solutions
The colon after “included” shows it will be followed by a list of examples of these “Alternatives”
The semicolons divide the 3 solutions so it is clear which is which
The inverted commas give you the name of each solution.
The dashes are used to separate the names of solutions from the explanations of what they are that follow so you know which explanation belongs to which solution.Slide79
Worked Example 2
The transaction seemed to fluster her, as if she might not have enough money to pay for the few things she'd bought. A tin of lentil soup. An individual chicken pie. One solitary tomato. Maybe she did need the avocados - or something else.
Question
Show how the writer’s use of sentence structure conveys how the woman had bought a “few things”.Slide80
Answer
Short sentences.
Each item is given a sentence of its own.
This emphasises the small amount of items bought.Slide81
Now you try
Ken is lucky that Julie can drive one of the trucks, change the 2 feet high tyres, make sure Alex does his school lessons on his laptop, cook, make sandwiches and dish out the £2 tickets.
Question
How does the structure of the whole sentence help to reinforce the idea of how busy Julie is between Easter and October ?Slide82
Now you try
One problem may lie in a form of iron called
haem
that is found naturally in red meats such as beef, lamb and pork. It can trigger the formation of substances called N-
nitroso
compounds (
NOCs
) in the body which can damage the lining of the bowel. Some types of
NOCs
have been linked to bowel cancer.
Question
Look at lines 1 – 6. With close reference to the text, explain how far the writer’s use of sentence structure and word choice has convinced you that ‘
haem
’ is dangerous.
4Slide83
Now you try
In they all came, one after another: some shyly, some boldly, some gracefully, some awkwardly, some pushing, some pulling; in they all came, anyhow and
everyhow
. Away they all went, twenty couples at once: hands half round and back again the other way; down the middle and up again; round and round in various stages of affectionate grouping; old top couple always turning up in the wrong place; new top couple starting off again, as soon as they got there; all top couples at last and not a bottom one to help them.
Question
Comment on how the sentence structure conveys the idea of the people dancing.
Slide84
Now you try
There is no doubt that obesity is the world’s biggest public-health issue today – the main cause of heart disease, which kills more people these days than AIDS, malaria, war; the principal risk factor in diabetes; heavily implicated in cancer and other diseases. Since the World health organisation labelled obesity an epidemic in 2000, reports on its fearful consequences have come thick and fast.
Question
How does the writer’s sentence structure stress the seriousness of the health problem?
Slide85
Now you try
Martin Luther King passionately told his audience: “With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to climb up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.”
Question
Explain how he writer’s use of sentence structure helps us understand how King dealt with the challenges ahead. 2Slide86
Now you try
Recently, a newspaper article headed “I h8 txt
msgs
: how
texting
is wrecking our language” argued that
texters
are “vandals who are doing to our language what Genghis Khan did to his neighbours 800 years ago. They are destroying it: pillaging our punctuation; savaging our sentences.”
As a new variety of language,
texting
has been condemned as “
textese
”, “
slanguage
”, a “digital virus”, “bleak, bald, sad shorthand”, “drab
shrinktalk
which masks dyslexia, poor spelling and mental laziness”.
Question
Show how the sentence structure emphasises the negative impact of
texting
.
Slide87
Now you try
Then there were the thrillers. Late at night the terrified heroine, alone in the house in a semi-diaphanous
nightie
, picks up the phone to call the police and realises that the line is dead. It’s been cut. The killer is already inside. And he’s coming for her.
Question
How does the writer use sentence structure effectively to convey meaning in lines 1 – 5?Slide88
Reading for Analysis
Word ChoiceSlide89
Word choice questions
These can be in different forms:
A) questions which ask you about “word choice”
B) questions which ask you about specific examples of
w
ord choice
C) as part of a question about “language”Slide90
Denotation and Connotation
Most words have TWO different levels of meaning:
D
enotation:
d
ead basic meaning
C
onnotation:
c
onned into an emotional reaction
For example
Plump, overweight, voluptuous, curvy , fat all have the same denotation of being overweight
However, they all have different connotations and some are positive others are insulting..Slide91
Denotation and Connotation
Similarly, stormed, sauntered, swaggered all have the same denotation of walking.
However, they all have different connotations, telling different things about the way the person walked and the feelings they had at the time.
Stormed suggests:
Sauntered suggests:
Swaggered suggests:Slide92
Introductory task
Look at the following list of words.
1. Match the pairs or trios of words which have the same denotation.
2. Work out the different connotations for each grouping.Slide93
AncientAnnouncedBeliever
Beloved
BroadcastComplex
Complicated
Diligent
Drunk
Elderly
E
nquiry
Fanatic
Fat
Fundamentalist
Hard working
Inebriated
Interrogation
Intricate
Lover
Mature
Obese
Partner
Plump
Question
Stated
Swotty
TipsySlide94
Word choice questions
In a question about
word choice
it is important that you base your answer on specific words or phrases. An answer to a question on
word choice
written in general terms will not achieve any marks.
At National 5 level you will usually be given one mark for picking out a relevant aspect of
word choice
; your second or third mark will be for the quality of your comment.
For a three mark question it is suggested that you go for
TWO
examples in your answer. Slide95
Worked example 1
After school and in the playground, away from the teachers’ eyes, sweets and chocolates were traded. They became the marks of rebellion and the statements of independence. Eating foods they suspected the grown ups would rather they didn’t made these foods ever so much more enticing. They weren’t just food but food plus attitude.
Question
Show how the writer’s word choice makes clear the children’s attitude to the school ban. 2ASlide96
Worked example 1
After school and in the playground, away from the teachers’ eyes, sweets and chocolates were traded. They became the
marks of rebellion
and the
statements of independence
. Eating foods they suspected the grown ups would rather they didn’t made these foods ever so much more
enticing
. They
weren’t just food but
food plus attitude.
Show how the writer’s word choice makes clear the children’s attitude to the school ban. 2ASlide97
Plan of attack
Highlight
the
area
of passage
Highlight
any
specific task
in the question
Highlight
the
number of marks
Highlight
the
words
that are relevant in the passage
Choose
an appropriate number of
examples
that you
understand
and can analyse and discuss.
Answer the question using the suggested formatSlide98
Suggested answer pattern
“word/phrase” –
has connotations of………./ suggests
……………
Thus it
implies/ emphasises/suggests /reinforces/makes me realise that………………..Slide99
Answer
“enticing” suggests
the children found the forbidden food tempting and exciting.
“
not just food but food with attitude
”
implies
the sweets became a symbol of their fight against the school’s authority
“marks of rebellion
” also
suggests
the children ate the banned foods because they were forbidden therefore were more determined to eat themSlide100
Plan of attack
Remember to
Quote
the significant words or phrases
Discuss
their connotations or impact
Stay
relevant
to the specific question task.
Highlight
question and word choiceSlide101
Now you try
Because of the popularity of partner dancing – as opposed to the lone experience of shuffling one’s feet and randomly jerking your arms at a club/family wedding – the BBC has decided to make a celebrity version of Come Dancing the centrepiece of its new Saturday night schedule. Fronted by Bruce Forsythe, the show will feature celebrities testing their salsa skills under the guidance of world champion ballroom dancer Donnie Burns.
How does the
word choice
in these lines show that the writer thinks that dancing on one’s own as opposed to with a partner is not very satisfying.
2
Slide102
Now you try
That is a lesson from history some of our more hysteria-prone politicians would do well to ponder as they devise ever more unfriendly welcomes for those who would come here today to live and work.
Question
Show how the writer's
word choice
in this sentence "That is ... and work" makes clear her attitude to certain politicians. (
2
) Slide103
Now you try
Admittedly, Saturday night TV may not reek of Latin glamour. But the new Dirty Dancing film, soon to reach UK cinemas, makes up for that. Set in the blistering heat of Cuba, Havana Nights features the sort of
drippingly
sexy salsa that you really have to be Latin to pull off.
Question
How does the
word choice
in these lines create an exotic description of salsa dancing?
2Slide104
Now you try
He was breathing heavily and the smell was inconceivably foul; it was the reek of rotting flesh, of festering wounds, of ancient perspiration, and of fear.
Question
Explain fully how the writer emphasises the smell through word choice.Slide105
Now you try
By 6 pm, several 16-year-olds are standing in the magisterial surroundings of the
Pavillion
suite at
Orsett
hall. The unceasing rain hasn’t dampened the excitement as the teenagers flood in to inspect the formally laid tables, helium balloons and glittery fairy lights. The prevailing smell of is of hairspray and scent. Friends who normally wear shapeless uniforms and dirty trainers are transformed into exotic peacocks in huge-skirted
ballgowns
, teetering heels and heavy makeup.
Look at lines 1- 9. Explain how the author uses
contrasting word choice
to emphasise how special the event is for the teenagers attending.
4Slide106
Now you try
Recently, a newspaper article headed “I h8 txt
msgs
: how
texting
is wrecking our language” argued that
texters
are “vandals who are doing to our language what Genghis Khan did to his neighbours 800 years ago. They are destroying it: pillaging our punctuation; savaging our sentences.”
As a new variety of language,
texting
has been condemned as “
textese
”, “
slanguage
”, a “digital virus”, “bleak, bald, sad shorthand”, “drab
shrinktalk
which masks dyslexia, poor spelling and mental laziness”.
Question
How does the writer’s word choice help to convey the negative view of
texting
? Refer to two examples .