Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation I Yule 2015 version NAT 5 and H RUAE Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation I Yule 2015 version

The Big Picture

The beating heart of language HINT – When answering language questions in the exam look for your answers in this order: ie start with word choice as it is often the most straightforward way to find marks Writers choose language to make their points clear and to create effects

Word Choice Words often have a dictionary definition meaning (the denotation), however writers often make word choices because of the ideas generated / inferred by that word (the connotations). E.g. from the word ‘gold’ you can get ideas of success, coming first, wealth …

Word Choice Show how the writer uses language to reveal the girl’s attitude: “outraged” suggests that she was very angry this shows that her attitude towards her friends was a hostile one NB: the words you are analysing are expected to be inside speech marks HINT: word choice answers at Higher need to be precise: eg don’t analyse “outraged” as “angry” – be precise and answer that it shows that the writer was “very angry”

The formula for success Quote + comment (with correct intensity) = mark Comment (with correct intensity) + quote = mark You must attempt to explain the meaning of the word or expression in your own words (the comment). Explain what the word suggests and shows ie the connotation which can be drawn from it. Inference skills are often needed in order to draw out the correct connotation.

Sentence Structure You need to make sure that you understand and can identify the four types of sentence listed below the triangle. When considering a sentence structure answer look for a possible punctuation answer first, then consider repetition, word position and finally sentence length.

Sentence Type Revision Statement A simple sentence which includes one point or one fact: eg ‘Orwell creates a turning point in ‘A Hanging’. Effect: impart information / reinforce argument Commands (Imperatives) A sentence which includes a clear instruction: eg “Go read George Orwell’s ‘A hanging’. Effect: to provoke an immediate response / reaction Questions Rhetorical Questions: where there is no answer or the speaker already knows what the answer should be: eg “We don’t kick grannies, do we?” Effect: provoke agreement / disagreement / humour Minor Sentences where there is no verb

Punctuation A punctuation answer should a) identify the punctuation, then b) state its function and finally show its effect (the question will guide you on this). Eg Show how the writer’s language conveys his attitude towards his mother’s shopping habit. Colon introduces a list of all the items she purchased. This shows that he thinks his mother is wasting too much money on things she doesn’t need. Punctuation Function Effect

Punctuation: Revision Colons: introduce A list, further evidence, an illustration, a quotation Colons: balance Two opposite ideas in the same sentence Semi-Colons (can do all the above) Separate out parts of a list Dash (can function as colons) Create a pause / dramatic pause Parenthesis Created by brackets, double dashes, commas Add additional information

List Lists are usually easy to identify Look for lots of semi-colons Or commas and ask yourself whether a list is being created However you need to think about WHY a writer has chosen a list and the EFFECT of the list to his line of thought. Hint – never talk about commas being used to create lists (the Higher marker isn’t going to award marks for commenting on the comma) talk about: the writer uses a list (in line 5 and 6) in order to show that a lot of things were wrong with the shopping centre …

Repetition If in a sentence structure answer you find that you can’t comment on punctuation or a list then consider if words or phrases are being repeated. This is the technique of repetition. Once you have identified the technique you need to identify the function of the repetition. The most likely answers are opposite. Eg Repetition of “spend” to draw attention to the fact that his mother can not stop spending and wasting her money. Function

Word Position Writers like to move key words usually to the beginning and ends of the sentences in order to make them stand out. This technique is called inversion. “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.” You would have expected “We are luminous beings …” but by putting the word ‘Luminous’ to the start of the sentence Yoda draws attention to one of his unique qualities. The effect of inversion is to create effects including drawing attention to something or surprise.

Sentence Length Short sentences are usually easy to spot – but make sure it’s short sentences you’re spotting not short phrases or clauses. Short sentences are usually used either for dramatic impact or to draw attention to one thing. Long sentences usually build up an idea, often to a climax. Writers often like to juxtapose a long sentence with a short sentence to make the short sentence stand out by contrast.

Imagery DANGER ZONE – The SQA say that this is where students often lose most marks – they do not tackle the question correctly and often fail to explain the root of the image (the original comparison) Show how the writer uses language to describe the experience of the exam. The exam went down like the ‘Titanic’. Just as the sinking of the ‘Titanic’ was one of the greatest disasters in history with lots of people dying so too the exam went really badly with lots of people failing. Notice how the student tries to make two comments from the original idea (The Titanic) and tried to apply them to the new situation (the exam). Notice too that there is intensity in the answer.

Imagery Imagery is used to appeal to one or more of our five senses: sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell. Writers use images to help us to get an insight into the intensity of the experience. His room was like the corporation dump. This helps us to see how very untidy and / or how badly the room smelled. Onomatopoeia: where a word replicates the sound it’s describing: eg whizz, crackle … Alliteration: where a series of first letters create a sound Assonance: where a series of vowels create a sound

Tone How something is said can entirely change its meaning. As you can’t hear it in a close reading passage you have to look for clues in the word choices and sentence structure. If uncertain about the tone consider first of all if it could be humour (humorous) – examiners love subtle examples of humour, eg puns, tongue in cheek remarks …

Tone: Revision Tone Markers Effect Chatty / informal / colloquial Contractions (wouldn’t) Short sentences Use of 1st and 2nd Person (I, you) Chatty (slangy) expressions Free use of exclamation marks and question marks Minor sentences (No way!) Informal commands “Get away …” To get close to the reader in order to achieve something: Eg their agreement, approval…. Factual / matter of fact / formal Avoids any or all of the above Long(er) sentences Lots of information, statistics … No emotional / emotive words To impart information in a neutral way. This is often used effectively when contrasted with informal tone Humorous Exaggeration (hyperbole) Funny stories and anecdotes Mixing formal and informal To strive for comic effect, to entertain, to mock Ironic / tongue in cheek / sarcastic Saying the opposite of what you mean To criticise Emotive Word choice which stirs up strong emotions, reactions and attitudes Persuades by arousing our feelings To arouse strong feeling Persuasive Using comparatives / superlatives Word choice which highlights excellence, perfection, trustworthiness To win over the reader to the writer’s point of view

Attention Drawing Devices Writers can draw attention to a word or to an idea using a number of devices or techniques. The most common are listed to the left and are looked at in more detail elsewhere in this presentation. Typography: (the way the type looks on the page including italics, capital letters etc …) is becoming a more popular way of creating tone and drawing attention to a word. OMG! Really? YES!!

Effective Conclusions A common question is to ask why the final paragraph in an article makes an effective conclusion. Look out for words / phrases / ideas in this paragraph which link back to the title and / or the opening paragraph – this is called going full circle. Other effective conclusions summarise, or repeat the key idea in a new way eg by switching from fornal to informal or by inserting an anecdote which illustrates the key point.

Summarising Summarising is about sifting out the main ideas and discarding the minor points and any stories which simply illustrate the main point. It’s the point which matters – not the evidence. Summaries should be impersonal – your own opinions and thoughts should not creep into your summary. The expectation is that your summary could be paragraphed or a series of bullet points. Use linking words such as ‘in addition’ … ‘ ‘furthermore’ … etc… to join your points. Hint: Look at the mark for the number of points you need to make. Bullet points help to make sure that you have made as many points as marks awarded.

Questions about linking Usually you are told where the link is. Your job is to break the link into two parts showing how: “quote 1” links backwards to the idea in the paragraph(s) above and how “quote 2” links forwards to the idea coming next. Sometimes words like “But” or “However” indicate that the link forms a turning point in the argument with the opposite or another view being introduced.

Purpose and Audience Somewhere in every RUAE paper will be a question on writer’s purpose (why he wrote it) and the intended audience (who he wrote it for). The likely purposes are listed to the left and the audience is worked out by considering the criteria listed to the left. Use your common sense here.

Good Luck? The RUAE paper isn’t about luck It’s about remembering the rules of the questions and keeping them It’s about being precise in the meaning you draw from word choice answers, drawing out the intensity of the word or expression correctly You can learn what is in this power point and mind map in order to prepare yourself properly for the exam

Finally … a word about reading You can improve your chances of success if you become a reader of good journalism and non fiction At the very least complete our non fiction homework programme (PULSE) In addition read an article from a newspaper or online every day Read for enjoyment