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Own Words

Own Words Questions: First... Identify the relevant section of the passage which answers the question, selecting the key words. Change the key words to show that you understand the passage.

An example... Their visit to us was bad timing. We were having a very cold snap, and in another week – when our guests would have gone – it would be November, the December after that, with Christmas fir trees for sale in the village shops. We were to be the last shop before they flew home. I suppose we were a family obligation. Or were we really something else, a different kind of invitation to their travellers’ curiosity…? According to the narrator, what were the two possible reasons for the relatives’ visit? Answer in your own words.

An example... Their visit to us was bad timing. We were having a very cold snap, and in another week – when our guests would have gone – it would be November, the December after that, with Christmas fir trees for sale in the village shops. We were to be the last shop before they flew home. I suppose we were a family obligation. Or were we really something else, a different kind of invitation to their travellers’ curiosity…? They felt that it was their duty to go because they were related.

An example... They wanted to find out what they were like. Their visit to us was bad timing. We were having a very cold snap, and in another week – when our guests would have gone – it would be November, the December after that, with Christmas fir trees for sale in the village shops. We were to be the last shop before they flew home. I suppose we were a family obligation. Or were we really something else, a different kind of invitation to their travellers’ curiosity…? They wanted to find out what they were like.

Context

Context Questions Give the meaning of the word. Explain how the surrounding text helps you understand the meaning. The easiest way to to do this is to quote the part of the text that helps you.

An example... ‘It wasn’t often you had this kind of intuition…’ It wasn’t often you had this kind of intuition about somebody, but as soon as he saw her looking at the seeds, he was certain she was going to steal them. He moved closer to her, picked up a watering can and weighed it in his hand, as if this was somehow a way of testing it, then he saw her dropping packet after packet into the bag. ‘It wasn’t often you had this kind of intuition…’ How does the rest of the paragraph help to explain the meaning of ‘intuition’?

An example... 'Intuition' means that you sense or guess something. It wasn’t often you had this kind of intuition about somebody, but as soon as he saw her looking at the seeds, he was certain she was going to steal them. He moved closer to her, picked up a watering can and weighed it in his hand, as if this was somehow a way of testing it, then he saw her dropping packet after packet into the bag. 'Intuition' means that you sense or guess something.

An example... It wasn’t often you had this kind of intuition about somebody, but as soon as he saw her looking at the seeds, he was certain she was going to steal them. He moved closer to her, picked up a watering can and weighed it in his hand, as if this was somehow a way of testing it, then he saw her dropping packet after packet into the bag. The writer goes on to say 'he was certain she was going to steal them' before watching her do exactly that, which suggests that he had sensed or guessed this was going to happen.

Link

Link Questions First... Quote a part of the linking phrase. Show how this links back to earlier in the passage. Then... Quote another part of the linking phrase. Show how this links forward to what is to come in the passage.

An example... The three witches in Macbeth, prancing and cackling round their cauldron, provide the accepted clichés of witch behaviour and taste. Alas the Macbeth witches have merely served to reinforce prejudice, rather than cast illuminations. So does the witch deserve her poor image? It is probable that the Wiccan creed goes back to the dawn of religious belief, when cave dwellers peered out and saw wonder in the rhythm of the changing seasons. Early witchcraft was probably no more than a primitive attempt to make sense of the unknown. In what way can the single sentence be regarded as a link of the ideas within the article?

An example... The three witches in Macbeth, prancing and cackling round their cauldron, provide the accepted clichés of witch behaviour and taste. Alas the Macbeth witches have merely served to reinforce prejudice, rather than cast illuminations. So does the witch deserve her poor image? It is probable that the Wiccan creed goes back to the dawn of religious belief, when cave dwellers peered out and saw wonder in the rhythm of the changing seasons. Early witchcraft was probably no more than a primitive attempt to make sense of the unknown. “Her poor image” refers back to the prejudiced ideas about witches mentioned already, such as those found in Macbeth.

An example... The three witches in Macbeth, prancing and cackling round their cauldron, provide the accepted clichés of witch behaviour and taste. Alas the Macbeth witches have merely served to reinforce prejudice, rather than cast illuminations. So does the witch deserve her poor image? It is probable that the Wiccan creed goes back to the dawn of religious belief, when cave dwellers peered out and saw wonder in the rhythm of the changing seasons. Early witchcraft was probably no more than a primitive attempt to make sense of the unknown. “Does the witch deserve...?” introduces the next part of the passage, which is going to present a truer history of witchcraft.

Imagery

Imagery Questions State what the image is: simile? metaphor? personification? Quote the image, explaining what is being compared to what. Explain why this is effective (if asked!) in supporting an idea in the passage.

An example... It was impossible to tell Dr No’s age: as far as Bond could see, there were no lines on the face. The eyebrows were fine and black and sharply upswept as if they had been painted on as make-up for a conjurer. Below them, slanting jet black eyes stared out of the skull. They were without eyelashes. They looked like the mouths of two small revolvers, direct and unblinking and totally devoid of expression. Explain how the writer’s use of imagery is effective in making Dr.No seem like a terrifying opponent.

An example... It was impossible to tell Dr No’s age: as far as Bond could see, there were no lines on the face. The eyebrows were fine and black and sharply upswept as if they had been painted on as make-up for a conjurer. Below them, slanting jet black eyes stared out of the skull. They were without eyelashes. They looked like the mouths of two small revolvers, direct and unblinking and totally devoid of expression. The writer uses a simile which compares Dr. No's eyes to “the mouths of two small revolvers”.

An example... It was impossible to tell Dr No’s age: as far as Bond could see, there were no lines on the face. The eyebrows were fine and black and sharply upswept as if they had been painted on as make-up for a conjurer. Below them, slanting jet black eyes stared out of the skull. They were without eyelashes. They looked like the mouths of two small revolvers, direct and unblinking and totally devoid of expression. ...is effective in making Dr.No seem like a terrifying opponent. Revolvers have the capacity to wound or kill someone, which suggests that Dr. No has similar potential making him a terrifying opponent.

Sentence Structure

Sentence Structure Questions First... Consider what is noticeable about the sentence: length? purpose? punctuation? order of words? Then... Identify the sentence structure being used. Say how the sentence structure helps you to understand the meaning of the passage.

An example... Gingerly, he tried to open the envelope but it was stuck fast and the flap ripped jaggedly. The most noticeable thing about this sentence is the order of words – the adverb comes at the start of the sentence rather than after the verb.

An example... Gingerly, he tried to open the envelope but it was stuck fast and the flap ripped jaggedly. How does the sentence structure emphasise the man’s care in opening the envelope?

An example... Gingerly, he tried to open the envelope but it was stuck fast and the flap ripped jaggedly. The writer uses inversion so that the word “gingerly” is placed at the start of the sentence to emphasise how carefully and tentatively the man opens the envelope.

Word Choice

Word-choice For this type of question you are usually asked to think about why a particular word or expression is appropriate. This just means that you are being asked to think about why the author chose that particular word or expression when they have so many to choose from. What makes this a good word to have chosen?

Word Choice Questions First, consider why the author chose that word in particular when they could have chosen another. - Is it appropriate because it is particularly relevant to what the passage is about? - Does it help to create a particular atmosphere? Is it frightening or funny perhaps? Does it give you a clear picture of what the writer is trying to describe? If so, make sure you explain what that picture is. Then, give the literal meaning of the word, and then the connotations – what associations does it have? In doing this, you will be able to explain why it is a good word to use here.

An Example… “Childhood memories of underwater programmes on TV flooded in, mixing with books and magazines on sharks and the film cartoon of Marine Boy. Once I had gained some confidence, Stuart returned to the surface to collect underwater photographer Gavin Anderson. ….” Why do you think the writer has chosen the word “flooded” to describe how his memories returned?

An Example… “Childhood memories of underwater programmes on TV flooded in, mixing with books and magazines on sharks and the film cartoon of Marine Boy. Once I had gained some confidence, Stuart returned to the surface to collect underwater photographer Gavin Anderson. ….” Why is it a good word to use here? The passage is about a man surrounded by water as he swims with sharks. Flooded suggests lots of water moving quickly, but he is talking about memories, so what is the connection? The idea is of lots of memories and the speed of the memories returning.

An Example… “Childhood memories of underwater programmes on TV flooded in, mixing with books and magazines on sharks and the film cartoon of Marine Boy. Once I had gained some confidence, Stuart returned to the surface to collect underwater photographer Gavin Anderson. ….” ‘Flooded’ means when lots of water pours into something, usually very quickly. He is suggesting that the memories come back very quickly and that there are lots of them. It‟s also a good word to use as the passage is about water.

Now Try This… Explain fully what the writer suggests by using the word “flickering” when describing the candle. “The door creaked open. A draught of cold air blew up from the stairs to the dark crypt and the hairs on our arms stood on end. The faint light from the flickering candle disappeared, there was a muffled scream, a sound of running footsteps and then some raised voices.”