Close Reading Skills

At the end of the lesson I will feel more confident about answering certain types of questions. Close Reading Skills I will develop my close reading skills.

Understanding • In this part of the paper you are showcasing your ability to understand the passage. The most common understanding questions will ask you to do 2 key things. From the example below, decide what they are in your groups. In your own words, summarise the writer’s main points in paragraph 1. Another may ask you to show what a word means. What 2 things is this question asking of you? What does the word______ mean. Show how you came to this conclusion.

Discussion… In your own words, summarise the writer’s main points in paragraph 1. You have to be succinct and brief You have to translate

The word question… • What does the word______ mean. Show how you came to this conclusion. Give a definition using synonyms. Quote the passage, with an explanation of you conclusion, referring to what is implied.

The steps to answer… • Locate and translate. • First, find the part of the passage the question is asking you about. • Put it into your own words. • The most effective way to do this, particularly if its worth 4 marks, is to bullet point it.

Pair task Example… • The problem of course is that there are too few many people willing to give aid in this climate. The reasons are numerous and they are not without justification at times either. Most people are struggling as it is to feed and clothe themselves. In a time when food banks are seeing their sharpest rise in visitors since the Miners’ Strikes, it’s not difficult to see why people are not readily throwing money into charity boxes. Another reason is our societal attitude towards need. We are somewhat less willing than we used to be, to feel empathy for others, particularly those on our doorstep. ‘We’re all feeling the pinch, get over it’ appears to be our attitude. Just look at the reaction to Channel 4’s Benefit street and you’ll soon realise that empathy is not the first emotion that impacts on the majority of Brits when watching this programme. We seem to be losing empathy with those most in need at a time where money is tight and by the looks of it, help even tighter. In your own words, summarise the reasons the writer gives for people being unwilling to help. (2)

answers • People are not able to manage their own money and feel they can’t afford to donate. • People are not as charitable as they used to be and feel that others don’t deserve it.

Pair task Word question… The grain is no longer needed. Well, not by this country anyway. The superfluous nature of the stocks mean only 1 thing; somewhere in massive warehouses throughout the developed world, grain is rotting while people are starving. What does the word‘superfluous’ mean. Show how you came to this conclusion. (2)

Answer for 2 marks! • Superfluous -extra, not required, surplus to requirements. • ‘The grain is no longer needed.’ – opening line tells us that we do not need it any more, making it something we do not require. Note the use of bullet points for a perfectly acceptable (good) answer!

analysis • In order to even attempt to answer any of the questions, what must you have a clear and explicit understanding of?????

Link • This is the worst of all the questions! You either get it right away or you’ll be crying over it when you’re in Higher. This is not going to be the case with this class! We are so going to pin it down! It is really important you remember this, so please pay attention. You answer this kind of question in 3 simple stages. • You find your key sentence. • You find the specific part of that which links to the ideas before. • You find the specific part of it that links to ideas which come after.

Example Big frizzy hair, multi-coloured shell suits and overly loved parachute pants were all the rage. It was cool to wear a boom box, perched precariously over your shoulder, and carry it about as if it didn’t weigh a tone. It was the golden age when Hollywood squandered millions on remakes of cheesy 60s sitcoms. It was the decade where Warren Beatty shocked us all by settling down with Annette Benning and dressing like the Fresh Prince was not only accepted, but openly encouraged. The 90’s. The second golden–era of the 20th century. Of course, it wasn’t all just polyester fashion and frivolity because a number of important things happened in the 90’s. In actual fact the 90’s brought the dawning of a new age of political discourse and development, as well as advances in technology that 10 years before would have been thought impossible. The 90s was a little recognised renaissance. This was the age of the birth of the internet and the creation of the mobile phone. And no matter how much we laugh at dial-up now and mock mobiles that were 3 tons heavy and had aerials the same length as your arm, we have to admit that they triggered a chain-reaction of technology that we now couldn’t live without. How does the sentence ‘Of course, it wasn’t all just polyester fashion and frivolity….’ Act as a link?

Big frizzy hair, multi-coloured shell suits and overly loved parachute pants were all the rage. It was cool to wear a boom box, perched precariously over your shoulder, and carry it about as if it didn’t weigh a tone. It was the golden age when Hollywood squandered millions on remakes of cheesy 60s sitcoms. It was the decade where Warren Beatty shocked us all by settling down with Annette Benning and dressing like the Fresh Prince was not only accepted, but openly encouraged. The 90’s. The second golden–era of the 20th century. Of course, it wasn’t all just polyester fashion and frivolity because a number of important things happened in the 90’s. In actual fact the 90’s brought the dawning of a new age of political discourse and development, as well as advances in technology that 10 years before would have been thought impossible. The 90s was a little recognised renaissance. This was the age of the birth of the internet and the creation of the mobile phone. And no matter how much we laugh at dial-up now and mock mobiles that were 3 tons heavy and had aerials the same length as your arm, we have to admit that they triggered a chain-reaction of technology that we now couldn’t live without. How does the sentence ‘Of course, it wasn’t all just polyester fashion and frivolity....’ Act as a link? (2) • ‘polyester fashion and frivolity’ links to the paragraph before when the writer discusses the outrageous fashion of the time –’ shell suits and ‘parachute pants’. • ‘…important things happened in the 90s’ links to what is developed as the writer then goes onto discuss the important ‘political discourse and development’.

Musical theatre had long been consigned to the back burners of history. It was not cool, it was not hip and it was only liked by a selective group of people. The older generation will tell you that they love musicals. Just look at the queen, who’s favourite song up until this day is ‘People Will Say We’re in Love’ from Roger and Hammerstein’s ‘Oklahoma!’ It hardly makes it look cool. Musical theatre may well be a historically old person’s past time but it has found a much newer audience with emergence of the likes of ‘Glee!’ and the multi-million production of ‘Les Miserables’. Young people are becoming far more involved in acting, singing and dancing than their punkie counterparts of the 70s or their yuppie equivalents in the 80s. And even better than this, they are attending the theatre. They are going in their droves to see ‘The Book of Mormon’ and queuing up to view Harry Hill’s new ‘I Can’t Sing’. • How does the sentence “Musical theatre may well be a historically old person’s past time but it has found a much newer audience...” act as a linking sentence? (2)

How does the sentence “Musical theatre may well be a historically old person’s past time but it has found a much newer audience...” act as a linking sentence? (2) • “…old person’s past time’ links to the paragraph before which highlights how the traditional audience were older, even mentioning the musical tastes of the queen. • “…a much newer audience” links to what is developed as the writer goes on to explain how young people are becoming fare involved in musical theatre.

Tone • Word choice • Imagery • Sentence structure • The others Technique Questions T.W.I.S.T Language These little reminders will come in really handy when you sit nay close reading assessment! A blanket term for; Sentence structure, word choice and imagery

How you doin’? Tone • Tone =??????? • Common tones are; anger, derision, humour, sarcasm, irony, formal/informal, affectionate, nostalgic…etc. • Tone question are answered with the following formula; identify the tone then analyse the example of language used to help you understand this. • I like to call this, (said in a humorous tone) identify and justify!

Format for tone • - or + > name the tone > use specific examples of language to justify your choice> RTQ. • So… • Negative tone > anger> writer’s word choice ‘rage’ has connotations of fury and aggression,illustrating exactly how he feels about the cost of the Olympics.

Tone; identify and justify with language! Of course, the disgust felt by those at the overwhelming cost of the Olympics was only compounded by the fact that it was a shambles too. Servicemen and women camped along the banks of the Thames because (yet again) the Government had picked a company who couldn’t provide the service they promised and who had already pocketed the exorbitant fee for this non-existent service. • What is the tone of this extract? Show how you came to this conclusion. (4)

Answer Negative tone >derision > writer’s word choice of ‘disgust’ has connotations of finding something vile, immoral. This makes it clear that the writer finds the cost obscene, showing his derision towards the event. Use of parenthesis > ‘(yet again)’ > shows the writer is not shocked by the government’s behaviour, implying he does not trust them and finds them incompetent. Showing he is derisive towards the efforts of the government.

Word choice • Word choice! What must we always do when analysing word choice? • Chant after me; Word choice must explain the connotations! • Draw the following in your jotter;

The point in that exercise was simple, to show you that you are very good at assessing connotations. Connotations are the associations we make with a word in a certain context. Word choice How does the example below make it evident the Brittish people enjoyed the Olympics? There was an intensity about the Olympics that Britain hadn’t felt for decades. The throbbing excitement of it all was compounded by the fact that we just devoured the news coverage. Connotations – extreme, passionate, overwhelming Connotations – almost painful, intense, very obvious. Connotations – without precedent, desperate, hungry, greedy.

Just as a fat duck is heavy, so too is the person’s heart. Imagery! My heart sank like a fat duck on a pond. The important thing about imagery is that you explain the _________! There is no point in saying an image is good, you have to say why it is so good.

Formula • Identify > quotation > Just as….so too > RTQ. • Simile > “My heart sank like a fat duck on a pond” > Just as a fat duck is heavy and would sink, so too is the person’s heart heavy and has a sinking feeling. This shows that the narrator is sad and upset at the event.

Sentence STRCTURE • Sentence structure is an essential part of close reading and it is always used to add emphasis to the passage. • Can you remember common sentence structure features? Let’s list them in our jotters.

Types In your pairs, try to explain each of these to each other. If you are unsure, take a guess, then we’ll discuss as a class. • Punctuation • Parenthesis • Repetition • List • Short/ snappy • Very complex/ long • Inversion • Printing conventions

Example Vanity Fair (a monthly print owned by CondeNaste) has long been associated with the more liberal side of American politics. With writer and journalist Christopher Hitches as a regular guest editor, the magazine stirred controversy within the tea party alliance, bible-belters and the gentler Republicans. The magazine loves controversy. Their features on waterboarding; Guantanamo Bay; political commentary; scathing criticisms of governmental policy and of all things, the latest fashions, often offered very mixed views and opinions. This ensures that it is never a dull read. What features of sentence structure can you and your partner identify?

Sentence structure can often be difficult to answer. When I’m not sure I just say to myself P.L.O.T the sentence? If you can look at each of these and plot them out, you’ll have a much better understanding of what it is asking of you. P.L.O.T • Punctuation (; , ? ! – ()) • Length (Long? Short?) • Order (Are the words in the right order, is it odd, are they inverted?) • Type (Statement, question, command, exclamation?)

Formula Name the type > “quote or line number” > explain/ justify impact.

When in doubt got to MARIOS CHIPPY (I know that should have an apostrophe. It’s a you can’t do that moment for me). Are there any you are unsure of? Can we discuss them? Metaphor Alliteration Repetition Imagery Onompatopeia Simile Contrast Hyperbole Implication Punctuation Personification You can’t do that (grammatical innacuracies)

Close Reading Skills