Evaluation Questions

Evaluation – How well?  You are being asked how well or how effectively the writer has conveyed his ideas.  The question may use words such as how:  Good  Effective  Successful  Appropriate  Convincing

Types of Evaluation Question  Comment on how effective or appropriate the title/ opening/ending of the passage is.  Comment on the effectiveness of a technique the writer uses such as word choice/sentence structure/imagery…  Explain how convincing the writer’s arguments are/ how well they have conveyed their ideas.  Show how well the writer achieves his or her PURPOSE – (entertain/persuade usually)

Don’t Feed the Bears Q10 – How effective do you find the headline and second headline in catching the reader’s attention? (2E) 2 marks question that requires you to look at 2 different features of the article (Logically 1 mark for your response to each headline)  “Don’t feed the bears”  “A hungry visitor can turn a lazy camping trip into a fairly grizzly experience”

Headline 1 - “Don’t Feed the Bears”  Use of Command draws the reader’s attention to the headline.  The headline sounds like a notice in a zoo/safari park If this was an analysis question the above responses would be enough but this is an evaluation question – so you need to say how effective you found each aspect of the headline.

- Use of Command draws the reader’s attention to the headline. - The headline sounds like a notice in a zoo/safari park The headline is very effective in catching the reader’s attention because:  the use of command demands that the reader pay attention to it and suggests that the topic is serious enough to merit the reader’s attention.  The fact that the headline sounds like a zoo/safari park notice means it conveys the headline and the subject of the article clearly and succinctly to the reader.

Activity – Now try to answer the Evaluation question using the second headline – “A hungry visitor can turn a lazy camping trip into a fairly grizzly experience”  Use of Pun effectively draws the reader’s attention to the headline; as “grizzly” can mean both frightening and a type of bear, the double meaning is effective in clearly conveying that the passage is specifically about bear attacks and that the nature of these can be terrifying.

Don’t feed the bears Q11 – Look at the two stories told about Lisa Warner (lines and Angela Wallace (lines 42-50). How effectively does the writer make the second of the stories seem more frightening? (4E)  Because this is question asks you about a comparison there are 2 things that you need to do here: 1. Comment on the features that make the second story more frightening 2. Comment on the features that make the first story less frightening.

1.

2012 Paper  How effective do you find any aspect of the final paragraph (lines 78–79) as a  conclusion to the passage?  Your answer might deal with such features as word choice or tone.

Final paragraph (lines 78 – 79)  When a superstition that is supposed to help you actually hinders you, it is probably time to kick the ritual into touch. With a rabbit’s foot, obviously.

Conclusion.  Ideas – what has the writer been arguing? What point of view have they been trying to make you agree with? Decide, 1. Does the conclusion hint at/resolve any of the previous ideas 2. is there a clear outcome? 3. Is there a twist or something unexpected.

How effective do you find any aspect of the final paragraph (lines 78 – 79) as a conclusion to the passage? Your answer might deal with such features as word choice or tone. 2 E  The reference to the elements of help and hindrance (1)  (neatly) recaps the idea of ambivalence explored elsewhere  in the passage (1)  OR  “ritual” (1)  (tellingly) repeats a (significant) word used earlier/repeated (three times)  earlier in the passage (1)  OR  (metaphor) “kick (the ritual into touch)” (1)  (neatly) reprises references to football/sport used earlier (1)  OR  “a rabbit’s foot” is (clearly) associated with superstition (1)  which is the article’s topic (1)  OR  “With a rabbit’s foot, obviously” (1)  (adroitly) reprises the cynical/sceptical/humorous tone seen  elsewhere (1)

 Style. 1. Does it change or is it the same as the rest of the paragraph? 2. Does the conclusion return to the wording of the opening paragraph? 3. Is there an example of word choice or simile or metaphor that is re- used in a slightly different way.

 Tone – does it remain the same.  Light – hearted may become serious.  Serious may become light hearted.  Is there a punch line?  A joke?  A quotation which leaves you thinking?  A new idea which leaves you thinking?

Example  Language skills Intermediate Two\Mixed Blessing of Eternal Life evaluation.doc Language skills Intermediate Two\Mixed Blessing of Eternal Life evaluation.doc