Higher Revision

Close reading

The Types of Question you will meet in Higher English Close Reading

• Understanding

In this type of question, you are asked to demonstrate your UNDERSTANDING of SIGNIFICANT ideas/ information and supporting details, provide full EXPLANATION of their RELATIONSHIPS and SUMMARISE adequately, the main concerns of the text. U

• AnalysisIn this type of question, you must EXPLAIN accurately and in detail ways in which aspects ofSTRUCTURE/ STYLE/ LANGUAGE contribute to the meaning / effect /impact of the text. A( HOW the writer achieves his effects) • Evaluation

In this type of question you should make an evaluation of the effectiveness of the text which takes into account the purpose (s) and stance(s) of the writer(s), makes appropriate use of critical terminology and is substantiated by detailed and relevant evidence from the text. E

(you are giving your considered opinion on the effectiveness of the writer’s techniques )

Understanding Questions

In this type of question, you are asked to demonstrate your understanding of significant ideas /information and supporting details, provide full explanation of their relationships and summarise adequately, the main concerns of the text.

Understanding questions are there to find out whether you understand the meaning of the passage. These questions

should be answered as far as possible in your own words. It is also important before you answer the question to look at the number of marks assigned. For two marks you will most probably have to provide two pieces of information. However, it could also be asking for four brief responses or even one more detailed response.

There are some common phrases used in understanding questions:- • Explain fully the reason…• Explain how…• In your own words…• Summarise the main points…• Identify ways in which…• By referring closely to these lines…• Referring to specific words or phrases show how the sentence… performs a linking function.• Show how the context helps you to understand…•

Model

The basic situation of the western concerns the change in the frontier region of the United States from a wide-open territory in which an individual male could find self-definition (through acts of violence and crime or through the possession and practice of prized individual skills) into a civilised and structured society with its foundations in family stability and group effort.

You try

Question • Using your own words and basing your

answer on lines 1-4, briefly describe the historical change that provides the basic situation for the western film.

Answer• The following for points should be made for one mark each.

• the frontier was wild/ lawless and open to exploitation /etc.

• it was a place where people could – assert their own individuality/identity- make their own way/ carve out a place for themselves;

• it became law-abiding/civilised/organised; • with emphasis on the family unit/ the group/ cooperation.

Examples• “Horror” means something revolting. Anybody can show you a

pailful of innards. But the object of the roles I played is not to turn your stomach, but merely to make your hair stand on end. The descriptive word should have been “terror”. They are bogey stories, that’s all. Bogey stories with the same appeal as thrilling ghost stories or fantastic fairy tales that entertain and enthral children in spite of being absurd.

Question (a )“The descriptive word should have been terror “ (lines 6-7)

Using your own words, explain the distinction the actor Boris Karloff makes between “horror” and “terror “. 2 marks

You TryNote the number of marks assigned to the question: two

marks.Follow the advice of the question. Underline the key words:“Using your own words”. Also underline the demands of the

question, Explain the distinction between…. Go to lines 6-7.Find the words used in the question.Address the words of the question to the sentence before and

the sentence after. Have you found the distinction made by the writer between “Horror” and” terror”?

Answer

• Horror causes nausea/sickness/disgust/revulsion (1)

• Terror causes fear/ fright (1)

And another• Yet the fascination felt by frequent filmgoers for

the details of Ancient Egyptian funeral practices is the fulfilment of immemorial fantasies which still linger, however much sophisticated twentieth-century people, reading about how the Egyptians buried their dead 4000 years ago, may smile at the pious beliefs involved.

• Explain fully in your own words, the contrast Halliwell makes between “frequent film goers” (line 23 ) and “sophisticated twentieth century people” ( line 27 ). 4 marks

Now you try

Specific advice Go to lines 23 and 27.Address the words of the question to the first part

of the sentence. Does it answer the first part of the contrast?

Go to the second part of the sentence. Does it deal with the other part of the contrast? Answer in your own words, giving two aspects for each part of the contrast.

Answer• Acceptable answers include:- • Frequent filmgoers • fascinated by this theme;• allow themselves to be influenced by fantasies;• (more ) credulous/gullible;• (more ) enthusiastic/eager to learn;• (more ) involved in the genre.

• Sophisticates

• assume they know better;• have acquired (superior ) knowledge through books;• are (more ) sceptical.

Link• The linking question is an Understanding question, but it also requires a

bit of an analysis. You must demonstrate an understanding of each of the two paragraphs (or sections) being linked. In addition you must identify the word or words in the link sentence which connect with the preceding paragraph, and the word or words in the link sentence which connect with what follows.

• Sometimes a link can be as simple as one word or phrase:• Now – this must link the past with the present.• Later – this must be the next stage in a development.• On the contrary – this must go on to give an opposing view.

But you are more likely to be asked to identify specific words or phrases and show how the sentence performs a linking function in the line of thought.

How to...

Link answers should have four specific parts:• a quotation (from the link sentence) which refers

back to the idea(s) of the first paragraph; • an understanding of the idea(s) of the first

paragraph; • a quotation (from the link sentence) which refers

to the idea(s) of the second paragraph; • an understanding of the idea(s) of the second

paragraph.

General advice• General Advice

• Look at the first part of the sentence – what is it saying? ( quote the words) • To what idea do the words refer to in the previous paragraph ?

Explain in your own words. • Look at the last part of the sentence - what is it saying? ( quote the words) • How does the rest of the paragraph develop the idea contained in

the last part of the sentence? Explain in your own words.

Such as• There is a clear formula for answering the link question. You have to identify in the

linking sentence two words or phrases, one pointing back and the other pointing forward. You then have to link these words/phrases with the relevant parts of the two paragraphs.

• Link = (quote + understanding) + (quote + understanding) • In many examples you will be told that the sentence acts as a link, but the

question could be rephrased so that you have to recognise that what you are being asked about is the Link question.

• eg. What is the function of the sentence in the writer’s line of thought. By

referring closely to specific words and phrases show how it fulfills this function.3 marks

• This probably is a link question, and your first mark of the three is to identify the function as a linking one. But always check carefully to see if it is a link.

ModelThe pendulum in this game of literary reputations has begun to swing back towards Blyton. A rush of new editions of her best-loved stories is making her centenary, and parents in Norwich have protested against a city-centre library ban on Blyton. But her rehabilitation is at best partial, and any respect accorded to her grudging. A soon-to-be published book of essays by stars in the world of children’s literature concedes that she told a ripping yarn, but goes on to pick holes in every other aspect of her oeuvre.

But her rehabilitation..........accorded to her grudging.”Explain fully the part that this sentence plays in the structure of paragraph 3. 2 marks

You tryNatural resources in Benidorm, as in so many other resorts, are so scant that the only industry that could sustain itself there is tourism. The same goes for our other favourites: were it not for people like me, Tenerife would be just a barren volcanic outcrop. Instead, it is a barren volcanic outcrop with tens of thousands of tourists abroad having the times of their lives to the detriment of none. Pile the apartment blocks high, sell the holidays cheap, and Europe’s weary working folk will beat a flight path to your prom. And who has the right to deprive us? The environmental lobby, you could respond. “We pack into large metal boxes which unimaginable quantities of fossil fuels to transport us thousands of miles,” writes John Rentoul. Yes, we do, because a combination of well-run tour operators (those mass-market companies that have survived have had to be good and cheap) and government subsidy makes it worth our while.

Qu. “And who has the right to deprive us?”Show how this sentence acts as a link in the writer’s argument. 2 marks

Analysis?

Before we start to look in detail at analysis questions, it’s worth asking what it is to analyse. Try to think of everyday situations where you are required to analyse.

Scenario

You are at home with your family watching The X Factor on Saturday night. You have just heard the latest performance and weren’t quite sure what to make of it. The singer was note-perfect, but it just didn’t seem right. You decide to let the judges make up your mind.

Here is what they judges had to say…

• Sharon Osbourne: I thought it was really sweet. That kind of song suits your voice exactly. You have been on an emotional and spiritual journey this week and I’m proud of you. The only criticism is that you should smile more. I’m really tired of the other judges giving you a hard time.

• Louis Walsh: I also thought that it was sweet – but is this what the audience really

wants from you? We’ve seen you do this several times already – it’s time for something a bit different!

• Simon Cowell: Sorry guys – I don’t think ‘sweet’ is right for the tone of this show.

Remember it’s about the “X Factor”! Sweet doesn’t belong here. The song was all wrong too. Do you think “My Boy Lollipop” is really going to attract an audience of teenage boys? There was also a missed opportunity in the middle of the song for you to show us how you can move. You should never stand still during an instrumental.

• Give each judge a mark out of 3 for their analysis of the song.

Results• Sharon merely asserts that the performance was

“sweet”. She doesn’t show how, or why this was relevant.

• The comment about being on an emotional and spiritual journey is irrelevant. It doesn’t analyse the performance.

• She does analyse the singer’s image – “you should smile more” – but doesn’t say why this would be relevant.

• Finally, it doesn’t matter what she thinks of the other judges – it’s up to her to analyse! 0

Results

• Louis does analyse the connection between the style of the performance and the needs of the audience. The audience doesn’t want “sweet”.

• He points out that the performance is repetitive – “We’ve seen you do this several times already” - and that this will alienate the audience. 2

Results

• Simon identifies that the tone is wrong for the show – “sweet” is the wrong tone to set.

• He also analyses how the song doesn’t fit with the needs of the audience.

• Finally, he analyses how the performance – and the way it was structured – was a “missed opportunity” to dance.

Analysis

• How to move from assertion to analysis.

• Look at the following image. Analyse the techniques used to portray William Wallace as a Scottish hero.

Well?Poor answer : • He looks powerful and strong.• He also looks violent because of the sword behind his back. • He also has a blue face, so he must be patriotic. • He looks like a hero. What’s wrong with the answer ?• He looks powerful and strong – yes, but how can we tell?• He also looks violent because of the sword behind his back – how is

this relevant to the question?• He also has a blue face, so he must be patriotic – have you

explained/ justified this? • He looks like a hero – again, how can we tell?

HINTSPoints for analysis:

• Look for techniques and skills used by the artist to create an image.

• Show how these techniques and skills contributed to your understanding of ‘Scottish hero’

• Think about the cultural associations we have of ‘hero’ and ‘Scotland’ – have these been portrayed?

• We know he is powerful, strong and brave just by looking at him – but how can we tell that this was what the artist intended?

A good answer...

Use of colour and symbolism – often found in literature!Posture and positioning of the subject – a bit like imagery!Firstly, the portrait is drawn from a low angle, which means we are ‘looking up at him’. This leads us to feel more respect for him as he is posed as a traditional hero. The strong muscles in his left arm are placed in the foreground of the picture in order to emphasise his dominance and defiance. His posture (with his hands placed slightly in front of him) echoes this idea of bracing himself for an impact, and not being afraid of his enemies, because his shoulders are thrown back slightly. His strong jawline is emphasised because he has turned slightly. He looks off into the distance in the ‘classic hero’ pose. There are strong Scottish associations in the image from the blue war paint on his face, taken from the Scottish flag. This is echoed by the strong blue in the sky behind him. The weapon behind his back shows that he is a warrior, but because it is shaped like a cross it may be implied that he is on the side of ‘good’ because of the strong religious associations.

Now look at the following passage about William Wallace:

His visage was long, well-proportioned and exquisitely beautiful; his eyes were bright and piercing. His stature was lofty and majestic, rising head and shoulders above the tallest men in the country. Yet his form, though gigantic, possessed the most perfect symmetry, and with a degree of strength almost incredible, there was combined such an agility of body and fleetness of running that no-one, except when mounted on horseback, could outstrip or escape from him when he happened to pursue.

You try

Show how the writer’s word choice and sentence structure emphasise William Wallace’s superiority to his peers.

(4) A

Here is a typical poor answer:

Word choice: • It says he was ‘head and shoulders above the tallest men in the country.• He had a ‘perfect symmetry’.• No-one could catch him unless they were on horseback.• ‘Bright and piercing’ makes him seem rather stunning.• It mentions a visage which means he was like a vision to behold. Sentence structure:

• There is a long sentence broken up by commas to show how many qualities he has.

• There is a list of all the things that are good about him.• “except when mounted on horseback” is in parenthesis.

TASK

TASK: In pairs or individually, go through each of the bullet points above and discuss why the analysis is meaningless. Think of ways you could improve each point so that you are really analysing the author’s techniques.

Imagery

True/False

• Personification is imagery.• Two connected words make an extended

metaphor.• Word choice is always the same as imagery.• The connotations of a word are the imagery.• Comparisons are always imagery.• A simile is a comparison.

What is IMAGERY?Writers use images (figures of speech) to give us a visual

picture of the idea they are trying to get across to us.

The three main figures of speech used by writers are simile, metaphor and alliteration.

• 1 You must show your understanding of the comparison being made, using critical terminology.

• 2 You must be able to connect this image with the point that the writer is trying to make.

PASSAGE 2003

Select one example of imagery from these lines and explain how the writer uses it to make her point clear.

They assume that Jewish refugees were welcomed, at least with a tolerance that has traditionally been seen as a Beacon of Britishness. They're shocked to discover that rabid intolerance has a strong British pedigree.

MODEL• 1 You must show your understanding of the comparison being

made, using critical terminology.

• 2 You must be able to connect this image with the point that the writer is trying to make.

Go back to lines 1-10.Find an image used by the writer to make her point clear. 1 Explain the comparison. 2 Comment on how the image helps to make her point clear.

MODEL2003 Passage 2Question 9 (b) Analysis type Question Select one example of imagery from these lines and explain how the

writer uses it to make her point clear. 1 Identify the image

‘Beacon of Britishness’2 Comparison with a beacon as a light that shines brightly and guides

travellers.3 Idea of British acceptance of refugees as a matter of pride.

Remember – no marks for identifying a feature without commenting on its impact!

You try• Look at lines 45 - 64 • When the bat broke, it seemed a certain spell was broken too. I drifted

away from baseball by steps and bounds. The next summer , 1967, Ali was convicted of draft- dodging. Martin Luther King came out against the Vietnam War. Baseball did not seem very important. Something else was. For you see, I could never be sure, before that spring when Ali refused to be drafted, if in the end he really would refuse an unjust fight. So when he did finally refuse, I felt something greater than pride; I felt as though my honour as a black boy had been defended, my honour as a human being. He was the grand knight after all, the dragon- slayer. And I felt myself, little inner- city boy that I was, his apprentice to the great imagination, the grand daring. The day that Ali refused the draft, I cried in my room. I cried for him and for myself, for my future and his, for all our black possibilities. If only I could sacrifice like that , I thought. If only I could sacrifice my life like Muhammed Ali…

• How does the writer’s use of language convey the passion he felt about

Ali’s decision not to fight in the Vietnam War? Look at:- imagery, sentence structure, punctuation, word choice.

You try• Look at lines 9 – 20 • I just slung it over my shoulder like the great weapon it was , my knight’

sword. And I felt like some magnificent knight , some great protector of honour and virtue, whenever I walked on the field.

• I used that bat the entire summer and a magical season it was. I was the best hitter in the neighbourhood. Once, I won a game in the last at- bat with a home run, and the boys just crowded round me as if I were a spectacle to behold, as if I were , for some small moment, in this insignificant part of the world, playing this meaningless game, their majestic, golden prince.

• Comment on the writer’s use of imagery to convey how the bat made

him feel heroic and/or a leader and /or character in a fairy –tale- feelings that went well beyond a game

Sentence structure• There are always questions about sentence structure in the Higher Close Reading paper and, too

often, they are poorly answered.

• What goes wrong?

• 1 Pupils don't identify features of structure, but answer in terms of word choice, imagery or some other feature

• 2 Others simply "identify" features of structure without analysing its effect (structure questions are Analysis questions: you will score nothing for identification alone).

• 3 Some pupils identify structural features, but give general, non specific explanations of their effect without paying attention to the particular demands of the question and the context of the passage.

• 4 Many quite simply find it difficult to understand exactly what a structure question is asking them to do. We will look at this in some detail.

Identify

• The first step to success in a structure question is being able to identify features of structure.

• These features are not limitless and you can familiarise yourself with them and the kind of effects they have.

• See your notes and pb works for a list

AnalyseThe following questions (abridged and adapted) are taken from

recent exam papers.

• How does the structure highlight the writer's ideas?• Show how sentence structure emphasises the devastation ...• Identify two ways by which sentence structure emphasises the writer's

feelings in lines...• How does the writer's sentence structure stress the seriousness of the

problem?• How does the writer use sentence structure to demonstrate his strength

of feeling?• Show how the sentence structure highlights the writer's views.• How does sentence structure emphasise the writer's belief?• How does the sentence structure emphasise the writer's feelings?• Show how sentence structure demonstrates the writer's strength of

feeling• By referring to sentence structure show how you are made aware of how

strongly this person feels about...

If you look carefully at questions a to j, you will see that they are virtually identical in format

and demand. • They are Analysis questions so your marks will come from "showing how" the writer's use of

sentence structure has a particular effect. • If you remove the part of the question that tells you what to do - the "show how" - you are left

with a statement that indicates the effect - "structure highlights" - and the aspect of the text affected - "the writer's ideas".

• For example - question 5 tells you that "structure ... demonstrates (the writer's) strength of feeling"

•This is very helpful as you might not have been aware of this had the question not pointed it out!

• If you now replace the part of the question that tells you what to do, you realise that you "simply" have to explain or show how structure does what the question says it does.

• Of course it is not quite that "simple": analysing the effect of sentence length, or commenting appropriately on word order, requires practice. However if you recognise the way in which the question is designed to help you then you are halfway there.

• Further inspection of the question reveals that the effect structure has is virtually always one of "emphasis", or its synonyms such as "stress" or "highlighting". So structure stresses the seriousness of a problem, emphasises strength of feeling, emphasises devastation, highlights views, emphasises belief and so on.

How?

• The question asks you to "Show how" sentence structure achieves this emphasis. If you know that in lines x to y sentence structure emphasises the writer's feelings, and if you are aware of the structural features to look out for as you are reading these lines, then your task is to:

• Identify the features of structure used in the lines indicated.

• Explain or "show how" the features you identify emphasise the writer's feelings.

Task: The table below breaks down the structure questions 1-10 to their component

parts. • What does the question ask you to do?

Explain how Show how

• What does the question tell you about the effect of structure?

it highlights it stresses it makes you aware

• What aspect of the text is affected?

The writer's ideasdevastation

MODELI have often wondered whether the world would have

heard of him had he dug his heels in on the day of departure. Probably not. In I960, in racist, reactionary, bigoted small-town America, uppity young black men were lucky enough to get one break, let alone two. Destiny deemed otherwise. A legend was in the making. What overwhelms you about this man from such a violent trade are the goodness, sincerity and generosity that have survived a lifetime of controversy, racial hatred, fundamental religious conversion, criminal financial exploitation, marital upheavals, revilement by many of his own nation and, eventually, the collapse of his own body.

How?2 (b) Show how the writer uses sentence structure in lines 21-35 to

dramatise his view about destiny and Muhammed Ali. (4) A• We have been told that the writer uses sentence structure in the

lines indicated to dramatise his views on Ali and destiny. • We are aware that the writer sees Ali as unique, a man of destiny,

so it is our task to "show how" sentence structure dramatises this view.

• Sentence structure is about how the writer has put the sentence together

• Read the passage carefully highlighting any features you recognise.• Choose the feature which you feel best enables you to answer the

question and go on to "show how..."• Choose another feature of structure you feel comfortable with

analysing in terms of the question and "show how.."

AnswerThe writer emphasises a sense of wonder and speculation by following the

long opening sentence which opens with "I have often wondered ..", with a short two word conclusion to his speculation, "Probably not". The contrast and concision give dramatic emphasis to his view of Ali as a man of destiny.

OR"overwhelms" is at the beginning of the sentence emphasising the writer's

admiration for Ali; The writer reminds us of Ali's, "violent trade" before listing Ali's positive qualities, "goodness ... generosity", so making them even more remarkable.

ORThe final sentence of this paragraph explains the abrupt conclusion "probably

not", and adds to the sense of Ali's uniqueness by a list of adjectives that powerfully describe the barriers America Ali faced as a young black American at this time "racist ... bigoted". The list interrupts what would otherwise be a simple sentence thus stressing the barriers faced.

You try• Lamb was articulating what a good many Englishmen and

other more distant foreigners have felt before and since, that a Scotsman's motives are impenetrable and his finer qualities are, to say the least, elusive. The Scottish race has been variously and plentifully accused of being dour, mean, venal, sly, narrow, slothful, sluttish, nasty, dirty, immoderately drunken, embarrassingly sentimental, masterfully hypocritical, and a blueprint for disaster when eleven of them are together on a football field.

• Show how the structure of the second sentence

contributes to the writer's tone. (2A)

Answer

The list of all the negative characteristics attributed to the Scottish people is somewhat tongue-in-cheek - each word in the list has increasingly negative connotations – ‘dour’ suggest the Scots are are unhappy race while ‘masterfully hypocritical’ is much more scathing suggesting that the Scots are very good at deluding themselves.

You try• When we are old there is more time for gossiping (men

talk and discuss; women gossip, don't they?). I see old women together arm in arm negotiating a slippery pavement or rough steps. I see them with their trolleys gossiping together in the supermarket and I rejoice that we have each other, that the older we grow the more women of our own age there are around us. We are not going to be identified as "a growing social problem", as the social commentators would have us labelled, but as a thriving, gossiping and defiant sisterhood.

• How does the writer use sentence structure and

punctuation to make clear her point of view? (4A)

AdviceSpecific Advice • Go to the first sentence• ‘(men talk and discuss; women gossip, don't they?).’• Look for one feature of the sentence structure or punctuation – what is it? – use of

brackets? Balance in the structure? Use of question? All three?• comment on how it shows her point of view • Go to the next two sentences• ‘I see old women together arm in arm negotiating a slippery pavement or rough

steps. I see them with their trolleys gossiping’• Look for one feature of the sentence structure or punctuation – what is it? • comment on how it shows her point of view Continue in this step-by-step manner until you have written enough to gain the full

number of marks.

Answer

Humorous aside (brackets) to show she thinks men think that their conversation is more important than women’s and she reinforces this by use of the semi-colon used to show balance/contrast in structure ‘men talk and discuss; women gossip’); question ‘don't they?)’ casts doubt on this idea – shows she does not believe this.

You try

• I blundered on: "Were you away long then? I mean during the" - I hoisted the name gingerly-Cultural Revolution."

• Show how the sentence structure of the

opening paragraph (lines 1-2) indicates that the writer feels his question may be tactless or insensitive. (2A)

AdviceSpecific Advice

• Go to the first part of the sentence – up to the colon – note you are not being asked about word choice!

• Look for one feature of the sentence structure or punctuation – what is it? – use of colon – what does a colon do? Relate it to the text!

• comment on how it shows her insensitivity • Go to the next part of the sentence• Look for another feature of the sentence structure or punctuation – what

is it? • comment on how it shows her insensitivity

• Continue in this step-by-step manner until you have written enough to gain the full number of marks.

TONE

Tone is not so much about what is said but the way it is said. It’s about the attitude of the writer to the subject he or she is writing about, and you can change the tone just by changing a word or phrase.

• What exactly changes the tone ? It could be:

– a word– a phrase – use of inverted commas, – use of brackets

Tone could be...• serious • angry • matter-of-fact• unsympathetic• mocking • nostalgic • critical • hostile• ironic• disappointed• tongue-in-cheek • Neutral• sarcastic • optimistic• humorous • pessimistic • sympathetic• hysterical

MODEL

Survivors of essentially random impact catastrophes – cosmic accidents – were those creatures who just happened to be “lucky” enough to find themselves alive after the dust settled. It doesn’t matter how well a creature may have been able to survive in a particular environment before the event – being thumped on the head by a large object from space during the event is not conducive to a long and happy existence

Well?

• Word choice indicates tone• Use of inverted commas may indicate tone• Italics to indicate tone• Irony contained in this phrase ‘happy

existence’• Use of informal language to indicate tone

‘thumped’

MODELThe phrase “lucky “ enough to find themselves alive is humorous since it conveys a false fear in the creature, which expected so much that it would die, that a feeling of victory overcomes it. The inverted commas around “lucky” convey a hint of sarcasm that it is not really good fortune to wake up to such destruction, despite rejoicing at surviving. The phrase “being thumped over the head” creates a humorous tone as to be thumped is to be hit hard but the word choice is informal and playful. The informal language detailing playful violence contrasts to the power and severity of the impact which is humorous. The phrase “is not conducive to a long and happy existence” is ironic in that it would be impossible to live after such a force – creating a humorous tone.

You try• Love of reading led naturally, it seemed at the time, to

efforts at writing. If books were not the most sought – after domestic adjuncts in our housing scheme ( depraved orgies of poetry readings behind closed curtains ),the desire to actually write poetry could have been construed as proof of mental aberration.

• What is the tone of “ if books were not the most

sought after adjuncts in our housing schemes …? From the rest of the sentence select a feature of sentence structure or word choice which contributes to that tone and explain how it does so. (1999)

You try• It was only much later that I realised how different it might

have been for a working class boy with ambitions to write. A woman writer- friend told me some years ago of a man she knew who came from a background similar to my own. He was bedevilled by a longing to write plays, much to the embarrassment of his relatives. On one occasion an older brother beat him up severely in an attempt to bring him to his senses and to get him to stop inflicting shame upon the family.

• To what extent do you find the anecdote in lines 66 – 70 a suitable conclusion to this passage?Justify your view by referring to the whole passage. (1999)

EvaluationEXAMPLE QUESTIONS

• 2002 Which passage did you find more stimulating?In your answer you should refer to the ideas of both passages. You may make reference to material you have used in earlier answers. (6) E • 2003 Which passage has given you a clearer understanding of key issues concerning immigration and asylum-seeking? You should refer in your answer to the main ideas of both passages. (5) U/E • 2004 Which writer’s response to Furedi’s views are you more inclined to agree with? You must refer closely to the ideas of both passages as evidence for your answer. (5) U/E • 2005 Which passage did you find most effective in making you think about the implications for the human race of comet and asteroid

impact? Justify your choice by referring to the ideas of both passages. (5) E

Example Answer 2007Do you think the writer presents a persuasive argument in favour of public libraries?

Justify your choice by referring to the ideas of the passage. 4E

Ideas

• ·libraries are part of civilisation• ·libraries aid learning• ·libraries as a physical space can have an important/positive impact on people• ·libraries allow shared learning experiences• ·libraries allow people to socialise• ·libraries encourage people to explore other areas of knowledge• ·libraries allow easy and affordable access to books/knowledge• ·librarians offer vital experience• ·libraries are user-friendly• ·(as opposed to the internet) people can have confidence in the

authenticity/validity/reliability of material in libraries• ·libraries as a physical space emphasise the extent of human knowledge

Example• Passage One Once Upon A Time We Read Our Children Stories For the past 18 months in my role as Children’s Laureate I have been travelling the country telling

stories to young readers and young writers, telling how this particular weaver of tales writes his stories. Like some superannuated strolling player, I have set up and performed wherever anyone would let me in: in tiny village halls, grand concert halls, in tents and bookshops and school halls and, once, in an old people’s home; from audiences of 14 children in the small island school on Jura, to 2,500 people in the Albert Hall.

Hundreds of my fellow writers, and storytellers, illustrators, librarians and booksellers do the same.

This kind of sustained effort to bring children to books and books to children is much needed and is, in my view, the most effective way of persuading children to become readers and writers. Here is someone in front of them who love stories, who tells them with such passion that he world of reading, the sheer joy, fun and wonder of it, can be opened up to children who may never have enjoyed books at all. A young life can be changed that way, enriched for ever.

Yet why do we fail to engage so many children? Why do millions of them never become readers? After

all this commitment, why is there this divide in our society: books beloved by some and ignored and regarded as irrelevant by others? Why are stories not central to our culture, unless they are one television? Why do so many feel alienated from their literary heritage?

The convenient answer is the usual answer. Blame someone. Parents, teachers, librarians, publishers, bookshops, the media or the Government. The uncomfortable truth, I concluded, after years as a father, teacher, writer and now, as strolling player, is that we are all responsible because we are not being honest about this. Parents who do not read to their children enough at night, teachers who use books simply as educational tools for the ‘literary hour’, librarians who allow their libraries to become drab, publishers who publish too much rubbish (there are 10,000 children’s titles a year) and writers – for we are complicit in this overproduction – are all responsible.

However, the questions should not be: ‘Who is to blame?’ but ‘What can be done about

it?’ What practical steps can be taken to make reading and writing more inclusive and attractive for our children? If we want our children to be literate, to love stories, then bring storytelling back into the mainstream media. We had Listen with Mother on the radio, we had Jakanory on the TV. Where are they now? Bring parents in on the act – that is how reading should begin, almost with the mother’s milk, that intimate story between parent and child.

Yet we know it will often be through the teacher that a child first hears a story. Many

great teachers find the time to read stories and to read them well, so that children will hear the music in the words, and will laugh and cry with the teacher. Thus the teacher passes on his or her own love of stories to their children, talks of books and writing and reading with confidence, fervour and delight. Teach the children a love of story, of the music of words first, give them the delight, inspire them to write themselves, then the need for literacy begins to make sense – literature before literacy, then.

How can this be done? Unchain the teachers, take the fear of targets away, unlock their creative potential, give them back their freedom to teach what it is they love. Trust them. Let there be half an hour at the end of school simply for telling and reading stories, a wonderful wind-down at the end of each day. But don’t ask questions afterwards, just let the children listen and enjoy, and lose themselves in the magic of it.

We need to exercise our children’s imaginative powers through

reading and writing. For what is education if it is not to broaden our horizons, give us knowledge, understanding and insight and the opportunity to empathise and learn about ourselves and the complex world around us. I know no better way for a child, or a grown-up child, to do this than through books.

• Passage Two Thou Shalt Read Children and reading seems to be a hot topic. Do boys read? Are they reading less than girls? These

are questions that are being asked more and more often – and recently the Government climbed on the bandwagon. But who cares? Does it really matter who’s reading what – and, at a time when increasing numbers of children’s books are being launched with ever larger fanfares, what is it that we are chasing? Culture, literacy, civilisation and enlightenment? Or film deals and six-figure advances?

The Government has announced a £27 million initiative to distribute nine million books to children

aged up to the age of four. ‘Every child deserves the best start in life,’ it proclaims. ‘And there is no better time to get parents into the habit of reading with their children than when they are little.’ It is embracing the work of Booktrust, an independent educational charity founded in the 19 th century, which has, indeed, managed to place millions of books into the hands of infants and children.

I admire the work of Booktrust, but I was surprised that nobody showed the least concern about this

new alliance. Because it seems to me that, at a stroke, the agenda has changed. We have moved from altruism – the sharing of an enthusiasm – to the simplistic attitude of another governmental tick list. Reading is good for you. We’re giving kids books. So the Government is good for you.

Consider the dangers. If politicians and their advisers become involved in this project, who will end up choosing the books? And how long will it be before certain rules – of political correctness and good citizenship – set in? Once the Government is involved what will happen to the publishers who entertain writers like me? Would my own publisher be happy for me to be critical of the Government if, at the same time, it was negotiating a contract for several million copies of Maisie Mouse? Perhaps I’m being paranoid but I think we should be wary of lines getting crossed.

What I most dislike about the Government’s take on the literacy is this ‘nanny state’

feeling that reading is good for you. I just hate the idea that if you read, you’re going to be all right; that books can act like vitamins or diet supplements to make a healthier, happier human being.

I love books. I love reading. I can’t imagine my life without it. But I do resent the idea of reading being some sort of virtue, a sort of gold medal that you can pin on the lapel of some pink-faced, grinning child. I hate parents who tell me that their little Gemma is only nine but already she’s half way through War and Peace. It all seems so Victorian – and it’s hypocritical, too.

Are adults reading? And what are they reading? And how bad does a book have to be

before it’s not worth reading at all? Step forward Jeffrey Archer, perhaps. Does reading Hello! Magazine count as reading? How about Mills & Boon? Where do you draw the line between literature and (not to put too fine a point on it) crap? When does reading become good for you?

People like Dan Brown’s books, although I think his writing is terrible, with its clichés, its melodramatic bombast and its clumsy constructions. Well, it’s easy enough to sneer at Dan Brown, but however critical you want to be, you have to admit that his stories - and in particular, of course, The Da Vinci Code – are wonderfully readable. That’s what’s made him even richer than J.K. Rowling. His books sell in millions. Whether they have any inherent value is actually irrelevant. And that is precisely my point. Reading is enjoyable. I can’t imagine my life without books. All my work has been informed by my love of Dickens, Hardy, Austen, Orwell and so on. I like Stephen King, too. And Ian Fleming.

But reading is not necessarily a quick fix, and we delude ourselves if we think

that it is. The boy who reads is not necessarily better than the boy who doesn’t. Did Beethoven read? Did Mozart? Does Bill Gates or Richard Branson? I sometimes think we’re trying to turn reading into a universal panacea. It’s many things – but it certainly isn’t that.

TASKQuestion

• Identify briefly the key similarity and the key difference in the writer’s attitude to reading books.

• To what extent do you think the title of the passage provides an effective introduction to the ideas of the passage?

• Which passage do you find more effective in stimulating your thoughts about the importance of reading? You should refer to the ideas of both passages. (Identify clearly at the start whether you are referring to ideas or style or to both.)