Turnbull High School

English Department

Homework Booklet

Reading for Understanding,

Analysis & Evaluation
Contents

How to use this booklet 3

In Your Own Words 4
Summarising 7
Word Choice 10
Imagery 14
Tone 17
Sentence Structure 21
Language Revision 26
Linking 28
Glossary of Terms 31
Self Evaluation Sheet 33

2
HOW TO USE THE READING FOR UNDERSTANDING, ANALYSIS and
EVALUATION (RUAE) HOMEWORK BOOKLET

• This booklet is designed to reinforce your understanding of how to answer

RUAE style questions in the National 5/Higher examination.

• You should use the notes you have taken in class on Close Reading/RUAE
techniques as a guide to help you when answering questions in the
Homework Booklet.

• There are sections on Understanding and Analysis style questions.

• Each homework exercise is worth between 10 and 20 marks. You should

attempt all the questions for each homework exercise.

• Once you have completed each exercise, you should track your progress
(using red, amber, green).

• You should also think about the skills you are using and how these skills can
be transferred in other areas of English, and across other subjects. There is
a table at the end of each section for you to complete the transferable skills
section.

TIPS

• The RUAE exam is worth 30% of your overall National 5/Higher grade.

• There are questions on each TYPE of RUAE question: notably, ‘own words’
questions, ‘summarising’ questions, ‘word choice’ questions, ‘imagery’
questions, ‘sentence structure and punctuation’ questions, ‘tone’ questions
and ‘use of language’ questions.

• Pay attention to how many marks are on offer and read the questions
carefully.
• You can use a dictionary to help you with difficult vocabulary, but remember
that you will not have this resource in the final examination.

• Practice makes perfect; if at first you don’t succeed, try again.

• The skills you learn in the RUAE section will help you with the Textual
Analysis of the Scottish Text (Critical Reading paper) and your analysis in
Critical Essay writing will improve.

3
 SKILL - UNDERSTANDING: IN YOUR OWN WORDS QUESTIONS

One of the most common close reading questions asks you to explain a point made in the
passage in your own words (half the marks in the National 5 example paper are for this kind of
question).

Example
This may be an urban myth. It matters not. A fairy tale’s power lies in its ability to express
authentic fears – and this one reveals the paranoia that now prevails where bringing up children
is concerned.

Question:
“It matters not” (line 32)
Explain in your own words why the writer believes it is not important whether this story is true or not.
2
Answer
2 Marks for:
● the impact of such a story comes from the way it can express real worries.
● this story exposes the ridiculous fears about raising kids.
An answer which copies from the passage would score 0.

APPROACH
• Look at how many marks are available
• Find the answer in the passage and underline / highlight it
• Express the underlined information using your own words. Remember not to change the
original meaning

EXAMPLES TO TRY

Context: This is an extract from an article written around the time that an exhibition of the
warriors from ancient Chinese Terracotta Army was on display in the British Museum in London.

Qin Shi Who? My reaction entirely. I had heard of the Terracotta Army, of course. I had even
seen some of them when a vanguard of warriors came to London in the 1980s. But I
couldn’t have told you who Qin Shihuangdi was. That probably goes for the vast majority of
people in the West. And given that he is one of the most colossal figures ever to have
walked the earth, that is rather shocking. For Qin Shihuangdi, its First Emperor, created
China more than two millennia ago, establishing the world’s longest lasting empire. A
visionary, a brutal tyrant and a megalomaniac, he is the greatest historical figure that most
of us have never heard of.

1. In your own words give two reasons why it is “rather shocking” that most people
in the West do not know about Qin. (2)

4
Context: In this passage, the writer explores some of the reasons for the popularity of reality
TV shows such as “The X Factor.

In a world increasingly dominated by Facebook and Twitter, where friendships are made and
broken at the click of the computer mouse, we feel more comfortable engaging with someone
on the other side of the screen rather than chatting to them over the garden fence, as our
grandparents might have once done. If we are already sharing the details of our private lives
in tweets and status updates, are we also becoming more accustomed to the notion of
putting our intimate selves on display for the entertainment of others?

2. In your own words, explain what is meant by “engaging with someone on the
other side of the screen”. (2)

Context: In this passage, the writer explores some of the reasons for the popularity of reality
TV shows such as “The X Factor.

Most reality TV contestants almost always have a back story of personal

triumph over adversity which enables us to feel that we are helping them to succeed,
that we are giving them a break when no-one else will. And perhaps this is why Susan
Boyle, who grew up in a council house and was bullied as a child for her learning
difficulties, has proved such an enduring figure.

3. In your own words explain why the writer chooses Susan Boyle as an example
of someone who is an “enduring figure”. (2)

Context: This is an extract from an article about an activity called ‘parkour’. This involves
running through cities and leaping over obstacles.

As an underground phenomenon involving running through cities and leaping over

obstacles, parkour is the epitome of cool for its growing army of fans. Participants are
known as traceurs (or traceuses for females) and the parks and city structures of
Scotland are rapidly becoming their stage. “I really like the ability to move in the way
you want, rather than being bound by the way the street designer wants you to move,”
says Glynn Forsythe (24), one of the traceurs assessing the obstacles dotting the
campuses of Strathclyde University. “It might be faster to go across that railing than to
take the path. I like that,” he says. “It makes things interesting.” There are no rules and
no projected outcomes; parkour simply advocates that individuals “find their own way”.
The aim is to improve strength, both physical and mental, while developing your
technique to overcome even greater barriers.

4. Using your own words, give two reasons why parkour appeals to Glenn
Forsythe. (2)

5
Context: This is an extract from a passage where the writer informs us about the effect that
books by Charles Dickens, a 19th-century English writer, had on black South African
children during the time of racial segregation (“apartheid”) in South Africa.

Hector Pieterson was 12 when he died. Today a museum bearing his name
commemorates his death—and hundreds of others —which occurred some 30
years ago at a place whose name has come to symbolise uprising against
oppression: Soweto. Hector was one of thousands of black children who took to the
streets on June 16, 1976, in protest about schooling under the apartheid regime in
South Africa. When police opened fire on the march it brought the word Soweto to
the attention of the world. But less well known is the role that Charles Dickens
played in events. The march was in protest at a government edict making Afrikaans
compulsory in schools. From January 1976, half of all subjects were to be taught in
it, including ones in which difficulties of translation were often an issue.

5. Explain, in your own words, what the marchers were objecting to. (2)

People think that the written language seen on mobile phone screens is new and
alien, but all the popular beliefs about texting are wrong. Its distinctiveness is not
a new phenomenon, nor is its use restricted to the young. There is increasing
evidence that it helps rather than hinders literacy. Texting has added a new
dimension to language use, but its long-term impact is negligible. It is not a
disaster.

6. The writer tells us that “all the popular beliefs about texting are wrong”.
Look at the remainder of the paragraph, and then explain in your own
words what two of these popular beliefs are. (2)

The BBC is a massive sponsor, uniquely independent through its licence fee –
and the guardian of public service broadcasting. But, as the fight for the control of
communications hots up, friends of the BBC – both inside and out – are alarmed
that all this is in jeopardy: the BBC has become too much of a self-seeking
institution, too preoccupied with its ratings at the expense of good broadcasting,
and unwisely over-extended financially.

7. What are the three reasons for causing alarm to friends of the BBC? Use your
own words as far as possible. (3)

Rowling is loved for her stories, but also for her story. A contemporary Cinderella,
she endured the cold flat and life on single-parent benefit. Then Harry happened
and she went to the ball. Neil Murray, her husband, might be abashed to find
himself cast as Prince Charming, but her life has changed as much as any
scullery-maid turned princess.

8. Look at lines 15–18. In your own words, explain what comparisons the writer
draws between JK Rowling and Cinderella. (4)

6
 SKILL - UNDERSTANDING: SUMMARISING QUESTIONS

This is another popular understanding question that follows along the same lines as ‘own words’
questions. It tests your ability to summarise the main points the writer is making within a
paragraph or extended section of the text.

APPROACH
• Look at the number of marks on offer
• Underline / highlight the main points (same number of points as marks)
• Put the points into your own words (without losing the original meaning)
• Avoid writing down details of secondary importance

Context: This is an extract from an article in the Scotsman about Elizabeth Taylor, a
famous actress in the 50s and 60s.

Of course, those born in the 1970s may find celebrity on the Taylor scale hard to
understand. The whole concept of celebrity has been degraded, over the last two
centuries by an avalanche of media coverage which makes no pretence of interest
in the actual work that well-known people do, but instead focuses entirely and
insidiously on the personal lives, and most particularly the personal appearance, of
anyone who has ever been in the public eye for anything, from behaving like an idiot
on reality TV, to having sex with a premiership footballer.

1. What three main criticisms does the writer make of the way the media treat
celebrities today? (3)

Context: This is an extract from an article in which the writer identifies factors which
she feels ‘contribute to a real sense of traditional family life in meltdown’.

The first is the relative ease of divorce, which, particularly for low income families –
removes the ancient pressure on women to put up with bad marriages for the sake
of respectability. Unhappy wives are now free to leave with their children, a freedom
which some men deeply resent.

The second is the growing number of society, and collapse of traditional

communities, which often leaves the children of broken marriages without a support
system of neighbours and relatives to cushion the blow. And the third is the
remarkably unreconstructed workplace culture within which British parents still have
to function, tolerating chromic loss of earnings and status if they make family life a
priority, and often having to work unacceptably long hours if they want to remain in
employment at all.

2. Summarise three factors which the writer identifies as possible causes of the
breakdown of family life. (3)

7
Context: This is an extract from an article focusing on whether prison is the correct
place for young people who commit crimes.

“Hari, I am in prison, call me in a minute.” I was standing in a garden centre when I

received the message – an unlikely one for a middle-aged, middleclass woman to
receive while choosing a rosebush. Tuggy Tug is the leader of a Brixton gang whom I
befriended two years ago. Now he has been arrested for stealing mobile phones. He
has just turned eighteen and this was his first time ‘in a big man’s prison’. His voice
turned desperate: “Why aren’t you picking up your phone, Hari?”

3. Summarise, in your own words, two reasons why this was an unusual call for
Hari to receive. (2)

Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer explores some of the reasons
for the popularity of reality shows such as “The X-Factor”.

It’s no coincidence that our love affair with The X-Factor is so potent right now, more
than ever before, as Britain endures a period of relative austerity. In a time of economic
hardship, we are seeking out the simple and cheap – family entertainment that makes
us feel part of something bigger. But the popularity of such shows may be traced back
even further – to the emergence of nineteenth century periodical which relied on reader
contributions. Reality TV is merely a manifestation of a very, very old craving. We love
sentimental stories such as Dickens’ Little Nell; we love a tear jerker, and shows like
The X Factor are no more crass and exploitative than nineteenth century fiction.

4. Summarise the two main reasons that the writer gives in this paragraph for “our
love affair with The X Factor”? (2)

Therein lies the polar points of Scottish tourism. On the one hand, there is the
attitude of those who couldn’t care less, who regard service as a synonym for
servility, who treat customers as if they are something smelly stuck to their shoe.
Meanwhile, there are those who take satisfaction from other people’s pleasure, who
embrace the ‘Welcome to Scotland’ slogan, who are enthusiastic ambassadors for
their country and will attempt to kill you with kindness.

5. In your own words, summarise the two opposite attitudes that are shown towards
tourists visiting Scotland (4 )

8
9
Context: This is an extract from a passage where the writer informs us about the effect that
books by Charles Dickens, a 19th-century English writer, had on black South African
children during the time of racial segregation (“apartheid”) in South Africa.

But there were not enough books to go round. Few of the crateloads of Shakespeare,
Hardy and Dickens shipped from Britain reached the townships. Instead, they came to
Soweto in parcels from charities. They were read by candlelight, often out loud, shared
in a circle, or passed from hand to hand.
At Morris Isaacson School, one of the moving forces behind the Soweto protest, which
produced two of its leaders, Murphy Morobe: “Shakespeare’s best friend in Africa”, and
Tsietsi Mashinini, there were 1,500 pupils and three copies of Oliver Twist in 1976. The
former pupils recall waiting months for their turn, with a similar wait for Nicholas
Nickleby.
But it was Oliver that they took to heart: students at one of the country’s leading black
colleges, Lovedale, formed a committee to ask for more.
Calling it the Board, after Dickens’ Board of Guardians, they asked for more lessons,
more food – and more and better books. Their reward was to be charged with public
violence. All 152 “board” members were expelled from the college and some were
jailed.

They felt that Dickens was obviously on their side. Descriptions of Gamfield’s “ugly leer”
and Bumble’s “repulsive countenance” and Oliver being beaten by Mrs Sowerberry and
shoved “but nothing daunted” into the dust-cellar were evidence that this English author
understood the plight of black South Africans.
Dickens’ compassion for the poor linked the people of Soweto to a worldwide literature
of tremendous importance.
The veteran South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela later chose Nicholas Nickleby as
his favourite book on a popular radio programme, Desert Island Discs, telling the
presenter what its author did for people in the townships: “He taught us suffering is the
same everywhere.”

6. Summarise, in your own words the key evidence the writer uses to show
Dickens’ popularity among black South Africans. (4)

10
 SKILL: ANALYSIS - LANGUAGE

Language is the general term used to refer to the following techniques (the WITS):
Word choice Imagery Tone Structure
These will not always be separated out into questions about word choice or imagery etc;
they will often be presented as a question about language. So, whenever a question
asks you about language, get your WITS about you!

SKILL: ANALYSIS - WORD CHOICE QUESTIONS

Questions looking at word choice are checking your ability to consider why a writer has chosen to use
specific words/phrases; to think about the effect that this choice has on the overall meaning of the
text. In order to do this you need to understand the denotation of the word/phrase and also be aware
of its connotations.

Example
When I think back to that time, I was in a hellish place; everything was going wrong and
I was struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Question
By referring to word choice, explain how the writer’s emotional distress is made clear 2
Answer
● The word “hellish” has connotations of terror, pain and suffering; being in a terrible place
that there is no going back from.
● This has the effect of showing how sad and depressed the writer was and that he felt
that he was in a bad place emotionally.

APPROACH
• Quote the word you wish to examine
• Comment on the connotations of the word (what the word makes you think about). Try to
think of two or three connotations.
• Think of the effect it has on your interpretation of what you read

EXAMPLES TO TRY

Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer describes the harsh
conditions of lifer in North Africa, and suggests what may be in store for the
region and the wondering (nomadic) people who live there.

At the beginning of this month I was in a hellish yet beautiful place. I was making a
programme for Radio 4 about one of the world’s most ancient trade routes.

1. What is surprising about the writer’s word choice in the first sentence? (4)
(Use the example above to help you with the first part of the answer)

11
 Context: This is an extract from an article about an activity called ‘parkour’.
This involves running through cities and leaping over obstacles.

It is a Wednesday night in Glasgow. The high walls, rails and steps of Tottenrow
Gardens look like some form of municipal amphitheatre under the reddening sky.
Several athletic youths in T-shirts and jogging bottoms are moving quickly. They
bound over rocks, sure-footed before leaping like cats into the air, their trainers
crunching into the gravel on landing. To move off again, they roll to their shoulders
on the hard ground, springing up and pushing off in one fluid unbroken
movement. You can still see the dust in the air as they pass on through the
shadows, up and over a wall or vaulting a railing.

2. With reference to two examples of the writer’s word choice from this paragraph,
how does the writer show the agility of the “athletic youths”.(4)

Context: This is an extract from an article which describes an area of

London.

It is a Saturday night in the northernmost fringes of London. Outside an anonymous

building with blanked-out windows, a discarded plastic bag swirls in the breeze. At first
glance it seems a miserable place.

3. Show how the writer’s word choice helps convey the idea that the place is
“miserable”. (4)

Context: This is an extract from a passage where the writer explores how
superstition can both help and hinder us.

The superstitions and rituals so beloved by the world’s top tennis players are not
confined to the court. They take even more bizarre twists when the poor dears get
home after their matches. Goran Ivanisevic got it into his head if he won a match he
had to repeat everything he did the previous day, such as eating the same food at
the same time in the same restaurant, talking to the same people and watching
the same TV programmes. One year this meant that he had to watch Teletubbies
every morning during his Wimbledon campaign. “Sometimes it got very boring,”
he said.

4. Show how the writer’s word choice helps convey his attitudes to the top tennis
players in lines 2 and 3. (2)

12
Context: This extract is from an article about parents 30 years ago who did not have much
money but loved their children and did what they could for them.

I remember only once going to a restaurant in the UK. It was a motorway café on the
A303 road. My father told us, wincing as he looked at the laminated text, with its
stomach churning pictograms, that we could have spag bol. from the children’s menu.
We had a TV, but as we lived in Belgium there was nothing to watch apart from two
American sitcoms, which came only once a week.
My parents were so hard up that when we went to England for holidays on the family
farm my father would invariably book cheap overnight ferry crossings from the
Continent. He would never shell out for a cabin, despite the 1am or 2 am departure
slots. Instead, he would tell us to go to sleep in the back of the car, parked in the
lower deck, where we would eventually pass out from the suffocation or diesel fumes.

5. Show fully how examples of the writer’s use of word choice helps convey the idea
of her family being “hard up”. (4)

By now most of us know that the version of reality on offer is one shaped by a
multimillion-pound business with slick production values, and yet we willingly
suspend our disbelief week after week, month after month, in the name of
entertainment. Is there something lacking in our daily lives that draws us so
inexorably into Cowell’s web?

6. Comment on the writer’s use of word choice in the final sentence of this
paragraph. (2)

I only began to grasp this a few months ago when I travelled to Xi’an to visit the First
Emperor’s mind-boggling mausoleum, home to his Terracotta Army. “This is one of
the people who changed the world,” said Neil MacGregor, director of the British
Museum. “There are terribly few historical figures whose achievements lasted like
that. This is really one of the great, great figures in human history.”

7. Show how any one feature of Neil MacGregor’s word choice makes it clear
that he thinks of Qin as someone special. (2)

The missing part of the Cinderella story is what happens when she puts on the glass
slipper and disappears into the palace. Rowling filled in the blanks, describing to
Jeremy Paxman how she has to cope with begging letters, journalists rifling through
her bins, photographers lurking on the beach, and strangers accosting her in the
supermarket.

8. Explain how the writer’s word choice these lines helps to show the negative
effects of fame. (4)

13
Then, in March 1936, in chortling collaboration with editor R D Low, they cooked up
characters for a new Fun Section in the Sunday Post; a wee lad with a bucket and a
vast family in a tenement flat. The rest is history. Watkins had soon created
Desperate Dan for the new Dandy, one of the most enduring characters in an
endearingly ridiculous milieu. This lantern-jawed cow pie-loving cowboy lives in
Cactusville, a town with very British telephone boxes and irrefutably Dundonian
bobbies. The comic’s sister paper, The Beano, was launched the following year and
later still, new post-war titles – The Beezer and The Topper – which would last till
the 1990s, added still more to his workload.

9. Referring closely to the text, show what the writer’s language reveals about
Watkins’ relationship with R D Low, the editor of the Sunday Post. (4)

By 6pm, several 16-year-olds are standing in the magisterial surroundings of the

Pavilion Suite at Orsett Hall. The unceasing rain hasn’t dampened the excitement
as the teenagers flood in to inspect the formally laid tables, helium balloons and
glittery fairy lights. The prevailing smell is of hairspray and scent. Friends who
normally wear shapeless uniforms and dirty trainers are transformed into exotic
peacocks in huge-skirted ballgowns, teetering heels and heavy makeup.

10. Explain how the author uses contrasting word choice to emphasise how
special the event is for the teenagers attending. (4)

14
 SKILL: ANALYSIS - IMAGERY QUESTIONS

Imagery questions test your ability to understand, analyse and - often - evaluate a piece of
figurative language.

The formula below may help you to answer these types of questions.

● ________________ is being compared to ___________________

● This is effective because just as ‘________’ suggests _______________
● So to __________________________________

Example
It is only when a superstition begins to compromise our deeper goals and aspirations
that we have moved along the spectrum of irrationality far enough to risk a diagnosis of
obsessive compulsive disorder. Take Kolo Touré, the former Arsenal defender, who
insists on being the last player to leave the dressing room after the half-time break. No
real problem, you might think, except that when William Gallas, his team-mate, was
injured and needed treatment at half-time during a match, Touré stayed in the dressing
room until Gallas had been treated, forcing Arsenal to start the second half with only
nine players.

Question
Explain how effective you find the word “spectrum” (line 71) as an image or metaphor to
illustrate people’s “irrationality”. 3

Answer
● The variety of superstitions that exist is being compared to a spectrum
● This is effective because just as a ‘spectrum’ suggests a wide range of colours
● So to there are a wide range of different severities of superstitious beliefs

APPROACH
• Quote and identify the type of image – not all questions will direct you to a specific
example.
• State what two things are being compared in the image
• Explain why the image is effective (e.g: Just as... so to....)

EXAMPLES TO TRY

Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer explores some of the
reasons for the popularity of reality TV shows such as “The X Factor”.

The X Factor, brainchild of Simon Cowell, is one of the most popular programmes on
Saturday night. Each week, hundreds make the pilgrimage to be part of the live
audience, and millions of us tune in to watch.

1. Explain how effective you find the metaphor “pilgrimage”. (3)

15
Context: This extract is from an article where the writer took part in a triathlon.

Shivering in the grey light, I looked around at all the goose-bumped, goggleeyed
and wet-suited competitors, a decidedly middle-aged bunch, with more women than
men. The sky was threatening, the wet pebbles beneath my feet cold to the touch.
Racers made last-minute adjustments to pacing watches and heart-rate monitors.
We were bunched up like a school of fish trapped in the shallows. I overheard
murmured discussions about the various ghastly forms of protein one was supposed
to have taken to enhance performance.

2. Show how the writer’s imagery shows how many participants were involved. (3)

Context: This extract is from an article where the writer took part in a triathlon.

A half-mile into the run, the feeling returned to my legs, and I got my stride and my
rhythm back. I also started to sense that wonderful endorphin high — that feeling of
pleasant immunity to pain that comes at some point in a race. This is the addiction,
for me. Running fast makes you feel that you will not age, that you are free—briefly—
from the shackles of time. It’s a delusion, of course. But once you tap into this feeling,
you want to renew the experience. You want it again. It becomes habitual.

3. Explain why the metaphor “free—briefly—from the shackles of time” effectively

captures the writer’s attitude to ‘running fast’. (3)

Context: This extract is from an article where the writer took part in a triathlon.

We are also a nation of grimly-determined aerobic warriors. Endurance sports, some

time ago, were democratised—they are no longer the preserve of a sporting elite. Each
year seems to bring a bigger, newer, more exotic challenge, drawing a bigger pool of
calculated risk-takers.

4. Show how the writer’s imagery in the first line is effective. (3)

Context: This extract is from an article from the BBC news website.

The police had surrounded the house of Max Clifford, who has been accused of various
assault claims against women stretching back as far as 1970s. His house is now his
prison.

5. Show how the writer’s imagery makes it clear that Max Clifford could not leave his
home. (3)

16
One cold and wintry night not so long ago I disembarked from a bus in Ullapool. It
was more than an hour late which meant that I had missed the last connection to
Lochinver. When I pointed this out to the driver, he was as sympathetic as a traffic
warden. The only balm he could offer was that ‘there are worse places to be
stranded than Ullapool’.

6. Comment on how the image ‘he was as sympathetic as a traffic warden’ is

effective in illustrating the point that the writer is making about attitudes to
tourists in Scotland. (3)

There is something irresistible about the smell of fried bacon. It’s one of the delights
of being a meat-eater and possibly the single most common reason for why weak-
willed vegetarians throw in the towel…. For others it’s the crisp slice of streaky
bacon on the British breakfast plate, ready to be dipped into a runny yellow yolk or a
dollop of baked beans. And our love affair shows no signs of fading. A recent poll
of Britain’s best-loved 100 foods saw bacon at number one, beating chicken into
second place and knocking chocolate into third…

7. Choose one of the above images and explain fully why the image chosen is
effective in expressing the writer’s meaning. (3)

But Rowling was also frank about unexpected aspects of her fame. She feels guilty
about her wealth—denying she is worth the rumoured 280 million—and fears life after
Harry, citing AA Milne, who could never get a book reviewed without Pooh and Tigger
being mentioned.

Fame, as she implied, freezes you in one frame. Prince William will be lucky ever to take
refuge in a proper job. David Beckham will always mean football, and Rowling, who
disclosed that she has tried her hand at a novel for adults, will have to write very
brilliantly to discard the label of a children’s writer

8. Explain how effective you find the image “fame, as she implied, freezes you in one
frame.” (3)

17
 SKILL: ANALYSIS – TONE
Tone questions are often seen as the most difficult to answer, but in reality they are fairly
straightforward. The purpose of tone is to:
 show the writer’s feelings or attitude about the topic
 create a specific mood or atmosphere
 makes use of word choice/imagery for effect

A first step to being able to answer them is knowing what some of the common
examples of tone in close reading papers are, such as humourous, ironic (sarcastic) etc.

TONE EXAMPLE

angry You had no right to do that!

questioning Why would anyone in their right mind go there?

persuasive Go on, do it - you know you want to…

ironic I spilled the tea and my best friend giggled. “You’re

a genius,” she said.
serious If we continue to destroy the environment, the world
will suffer.
sarcastic Of course we should keep Personal Support going
– it’s just so amazing.
humorous School prepares you for the real world - which also
sucks.
pleading Please think twice before you do it, I’m begging you.

mock-serious I am very, very, very angry with you – you are going
to jail for 2 million years for the terrible theft of my
disappointe last Malteser.
How could you do that to me? You’ve really let me
d down.
playful “Oh, you’re so bad to me – you’re such a tease,”
she giggled.
frightened “Wh-wh-what was that…that noise?”

resentful Of course he gets his tea first, he always does. I’m

always last – that’s just typical.
thoughtful I wonder if there’s any way we could do things
differently.
shocked I can’t believe it! I just didn’t see it coming.

tongue-in- Cheryl Cole – the world’s leading expert in hair and

cheek make up.

In (very) general terms, look for word choice and think of the connotations - this should
help you to get an idea of how a tone is being created.

18
Example
So why, after a decade of phone-in rows, vote-rigging accusations and celebrity-hungry
wannabes with bloated egos, does the British public remain so in love with reality
television?

Question
Explain fully how the writer successfully conveys a tone of disapproval 2

Answer
● ‘celebrity-hungry’ suggests that the people are superficial and desperate for fame
● ‘wannabes’ is clearly derogatory and dismissive, with connotations of being fake
● The word choice used by the writer makes his disapproval clear.

APPROACH
• Identify the tone (if it hasn’t already been done for you)
• Show how the tone is created by referring to techniques such as word choice, sentence
structure, imagery etc.

EXAMPLES TO TRY

Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer explores some of the
reasons for the popularity of reality TV shows such as “The X Factor”.

Of course there are less noble motivations for watching, too: for every Susan Boyle
there is a caterwauling teenager who cannot hold a tune and yet remains convinced he
or she is destined for stardom. A part of us just loves it when people are awful and
embarrass themselves – but human nature is contradictory like that, and reality TV
allows us to have it both ways.

1. Explain how the writer achieves a humorous tone in this paragraph. (2)

Context: This is an extract from an article written round about the time that an exhibition of
some of the warriors from the ancient Chinese Terracotta Army was on display in the British
Museum in London.

Qin Shi Who? My reaction entirely. I had heard of the Terracotta Army, of course. I
had even seen some of them when a vanguard of warriors came to London in the
1980s. But I couldn’t have told you who Qin Shihuangdi (pronounced Chin Shur
Hwang Dee) was. Even if you’d said he was the First Emperor of China, I’d have
had only the haziest recollection of what you were talking about.

2. Explain how the writer achieves a chatty / informal tone in this paragraph. (2)

19
Context: This is an extract from an article where the author describes the harsh conditions of
life in North Africa.

Those who call themselves environmentalists celebrate the fact that deserts are not
properly inhabited anymore. “Leave nothing and take away nothing,” read the signs
at the gates of the nature reserves. Practical advice, perhaps, but is there not
something melancholy in what that says about modern man’s desired relationship with
nature? Will we one day confine ourselves to watching large parts of our planet from
observation towers?

3. Identify the tone in this paragraph and explain how the writer achieves this. (3)
(One mark for identifying tone, one mark for quote and one for a comment.)

Context: This is an extract from an article written round about the time that an exhibition of
some of the warriors from the ancient Chinese Terracotta Army was on display in the British
Museum in London.

The tomb of the first emperor itself may never be opened because of the sensitivities of
disturbing the Emperor, although some archaeologists hope that improved
technology may one day allow some form of exploration.

4. Show how the writer introduces a doubtful tone when he writes about the
prospects for opening the tomb. (2)

Context: This is an extract from an article focusing on the writer’s gripes about society in
general.

I am fed up listening to scaremongers about the E-coli virus, telling me my child

should never visit a farm or come into contact with animals. I am weary of
organisations that are dedicated to promulgating the idea that threats and dangers
to children lurk everywhere. I am sick of charities who one hand attack
overprotective parents and at the same time say children should never be left
unsupervised in public places.

5. Identify the tone in this paragraph and show how this tone is conveyed. (3)
(One mark for identifying tone, one mark for quote and one for a comment.)

20
I’m taken aback with the effort. This year’s prom has involved weekly meetings
since September of the prom committee, made up of students and teachers, who
voted on the theme. Fairy tales, princes and princesses, the Diamond Jubilee and
the Olympics were rejected in favour of Viva Las Vegas with its opportunities for
casino glamour, although there is no question of gambling: only a magician,
chocolate playing cards and helium balloons in the shape of hearts, clubs,
diamonds and spades.

6. Identify the author’s attitude to the planning of this event and give evidence to
support your answer. (3)

Actually, that’s not quite true. Young men and women, who introduce themselves
as Sally or Craig, call four or five times a week. Now, whenever I hear the familiar
satellite hum and am asked if I am Mr Connelly, I simply reply, ‘No, I’m afraid Mr
Connelly is in jail,’ which puts paid to any further conversation.
Of course, I’m not in jail. I’m in hiding from cold-calling nuisances, and sitting her
reminiscing about the great days of the landline, that window of time before the
whoel developed world embraced the mobile and its successor the smartphone,
and before email and texting replaced the spoken word.

7. Explain clearly, with reference to the text, how the writer reveals his attitude to cold
callers. (3)

In an age of appearances, her story should reassure us. JK Rowling found

success and made millions through trusting her own invention. We will never know
her, but we know Harry, and his magic is likely to last.

8. Identify the writer’s attitude to JK Rowling in this paragraph and give evidence
to support your answer. (2)

21
 SKILL: ANALYSIS - SENTENCE STRUCTURE QUESTIONS

Structure is all about how the writer has put a piece of writing together. It can refer to the type of
sentence, paragraphing, or punctuation. There are many different possible answers to choose
from, which can make it challenging.

You should be aware of the structure techniques below:

Long and complex/short simple Complex sentences may mimic complex

sentences ideas; short sentences have impact
Repetition of words or phrases Repeated ideas will be emphasised or
spotlighted
List Provides detail, complexity, etc.

Climax / anticlimax following a list Creates suspense/shows easing of tension

Questions / exclamations / commands Achieve a particular tone, e.g. emotive

(arousing strong feelings)
Sentences without verbs (minor Create a colloquial (informal) style or build
sentences) tension
Unusual word order, e.g. inversion Alters emphasis; may build tension

Sentences with symmetrical pattern of Provide contrast

structure but with contrasting (opposite)
Parenthesis Adds extra information, comment or
clarification

Punctuation is often a good signpost for sentence structure, so you should also remember
the ‘jobs’ done by the following kinds of punctuation:

Commas Separate items in a list or clauses

in a sentence

Pairs of brackets, dashes or Create parenthesis (see above)

commas

Colon (or dash) Introduces a list, example,

explanation or quotation

Semi-colon Separate complex items in a list

(usually a very long list); separate
two distinct, but connected,
sentences

Inverted commas Indicate quotation or speech;

sometimes used to indicate irony

22
Example

It was creaking while all the other trees were silent. Only slowly did I realise that it was
coming down, and that when it fell it would fall right on top of me, that I was going to die
and there was nothing I could do about it.

Question

By referring to sentence structure, how does the writer convey a sense of danger in
these lines 2

Answer
“Only slowly...I could do nothing about it.” The writer makes use of a long sentence,
listing the different thoughts going through his head. This has the effect of his mind
racing, panicking about the danger of the situation.

APPROACH
 Identify the sentence type / pattern / punctuation mark/structure technique being used
 Comment on its effect

EXAMPLES TO TRY

Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer argues that Scotland needs
immigrants to help grow the economy.

Yet Ireland has managed to attract its young entrepreneurs back to drive a growing
economy. Scotland must try to do likewise. We need immigrants. We cannot grow
the necessary skills fast enough to fill the gap sites. We need people with energy
and commitment and motivation, three characteristics commonly found among those
whose circumstances prompt them to make huge sacrifices to find a new life.

1. Show how the writer’s sentence structure emphasises her views about
immigration. (2)

Context: This is an extract from an article about health scares.

When scientists are in a pub tackling questions such as whether mobile phones are
frazzling our brains, or whether our food contains too many E numbers, boffins leave
the science bit alone because otherwise they see our eyes glaze over. They speak to
our concerns as individuals. They generalise. They speculate. They are not rigorous
in their explanations. They become unscientific—like the rest of us.

2. How does the structure of the paragraph add to its impact? (2)

23
Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer recalls his recent
participation in a ‘sprint’ triathlon.

But we are also a nation of grimly-determined aerobic warriors. Endurance sports,

some time ago, were democratised—they are no longer the preserve of a sporting
elite. Each year seems to bring a bigger, newer, more exotic challenge, drawing a
bigger pool of calculated risk-takers. There are marathons run in the desert that last
two days or more; marathons that are run on snow and ice near the North Pole.
Weekends bring innumerable foot races billed as “fun runs.” But my favourite—for
the sheer insanity of it—is a brutal march from the pit of Death Valley, California—
which is 200ft below sea level and one of the hottest places on the planet—to the
high flanks of Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous US. The key there,
as the participants will tell you, is to stay hydrated, meaning you have to run with the
equivalent of a camel’s storage tank of water. In fact, the most popular water carrier
is called a Camel’s Back.

3. Identify any aspect of the structure of this paragraph that you think enhances its
content and explain how it does so. (2)

Context: This is an extract from an article written round about the time that an
exhibition of some of the warriors from the ancient Chinese Terracotta Army was on
display in the British Museum in London.

“I can’t think of anyone else who had the scale of ambition to think of replicating their
entire kingdom,” says MacGregor. “Nobody else in human history has attempted to
the eternal underground that has survived do that, and what is fascinating is that it’s
and nothing else. We have no buildings, we have no writings, this is all that survives.
The people making the figures knew they were making them to serve the Emperor
and live forever. And in a funny way they have.”

4. Show how the writer’s sentence structure conveys his sense of wonder. (2 )

Context: This is an extract from a passage where the writer informs us about the effect that
books by Charles Dickens, a 19th-century English writer, had on black South African
children during the time of racial segregation (“apartheid”) in South Africa.

The love of books that enabled an author dead for more than 100 years to inspire
thousands of schoolchildren came mainly from grandmothers who had educated
their families orally, then urged them to read widely and learn all that they could. It also
came from people such as the activist Steve Biko, whose own mentor, the Brazilian
educator Paulo Freire, spent a lifetime working with forest people who had no formal
education, teaching them to “name the world their own way”. That is what the youth of
Soweto wanted—a future in their own words. And they got it.

5. Explain how any aspect of the sentence structure of the paragraph contributes to
its effectiveness. (2)
24
Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer explores some of the
reasons for the popularity of reality TV shows such as “The X Factor”.

We do get swept up by reality programmes such as the X-Factor, wanting to be behind

somebody, wanting them to do well. That’s why producers of the show will make the
hard-luck story – those little snippets of someone struggling in a dead-end job –
because that enables us to feel we have a sort of connection.

6. Explain fully the function of the dashes in this paragraph. (2)

Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer retells a particular story.

Timothy, who was practical like his Dad, had discovered a drum of paraffin in a lean
to, filled the oil-lamps and got them going. He used more paraffin, in a careful
calculating way that brought her out in a cold sweat, to get the fire in the kitchen
range going. He had also got the water-pump over the sink to work. At first it had
only made disgusting wheezing sounds, but Tim had poured water down it from a
butt in the garden, calling it "priming the pump" very professionally. At first it had
pumped evil rusty red stuff, but now it ran clear, though Rose had visions of
outbreaks of cholera and typhoid, and hurried dashes to the hospital in Norwich, and
how would you ever get an ambulance up that path, but if you boiled all the water...
Now he was winding up all the clocks and really getting them ticking.

7. Look at the sentence beginning “At first it had pumped evil rusty stuff...” How does
the sentence structure create an impression of uneasy thoughts rushing through
Rose's mind? (4)

Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer discusses whether prison
is the right place for young people who commit crimes.

How effective is prison? Very, according to Learco Chindamo, who, aged fifteen,
fatally stabbed the Head Teacher, Philip Lawrence. In press reports last week
Chindamo said that being in jail had transformed him. After serving fourteen years of
a life sentence and on the verge of being released, he claims he is a reformed
character and wants to live a “quiet and decent life”.

8. Why does the writer use a question mark in the opening sentence and speech
marks in the final sentence? (2)

Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer explores some of the
reasons for the popularity of reality TV shows such as “The X Factor”.

The public support people with talent, but they punish pretension and twofacedness.
Perhaps this, in the end, is the key to Simon Cowell’s success: he acknowledges that
we crave the appearance of reality, but that we also want the reassurance of a happy
ending for those who deserve it and retribution for those who do not.

9. Show how the writer’s sentence structure helps to convey her ideas about
Cowell’s success (2)
25
Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer discusses April Fools’ Day
traditions.

April Fools’ Day, or All Fools’ Day as it is sometimes called, is one of those popular
traditions whose genesis is lost in the mists of antiquity. Martin Wainwright, author of
The Guardian Book of April Fools’ Day, has his own theory. “The need to tease goes
back forever and involves our most basic instincts: pleasure in others’ discomfort;
triumph at an ingenious scheme working out as planned; deception, daring and
disbelief as the plot proceeds; fear of a misfire or an angry reaction; and in the end,
the relaxing of mouth muscles, mind and endorphins as everyone corpses into a
good long laugh. The cavemen did it, so did the Egyptians, the ancient people of
south Asia, the Greeks, the Romans, the Medes. Spring sprung and they all decided
to have fun.”

10. Explain fully the writer’s use of a colon after “basic instincts:” (2)

Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer writes about the rise of the
fitness culture.

The fitness culture is everywhere. Think about how often we run into sweaty bodies in
lycra – some decidedly unappealing in this most unforgiving of materials – when trying
to negotiate our way home from work.

11. What purpose of the dashes serve in sentence two? (2)

From whence comes this compulsion to climb mountains? Why do I have this
compulsion to get to the top of every insignificant bump on the landscape? Why,
no matter how breathless, bruised, battered and bedraggled I become while
hillwalking, do I return with a grin on my face and a desire to go out and do it
again?

12. Here the author reflects on his need to climb mountains. Comment on how
two aspects of sentence structure are used to explore his feelings. (4)

But as that new way of living arrives—as we retreat from the wild places, and the
fences of national parks go up; as we cease the exploitation of animals, and the
cow, the camel, the sheep, the chicken and the pig become items in modern
exhibition farms, where schoolchildren see how mankind used to live; as our
direct contact with our fellow creatures is restricted to zoos, pets and fish tanks;
and as every area of natural beauty is set about with preservation orders and
rules to keep human interference to a minimum—will we not be separating
ourselves from our planet in order, as we suppose, to look after it better?

13. Identify an aspect of sentence structure being used here and explain how it
supports or clarifies the author’s argument. (2)

26
 SKILL: ANALYSIS - REVISION LANGUAGE QUESTIONS

For these following examples you will not be guided towards a specific technique, rather asked
to comment on the writer’s use of language. Remember, keep your WITS about you! (Word
Choice, Imagery, Tone, Sentence Structure)

Context: This is an extract from an article from ‘The Times’ newspaper. Here, the
writer describes the harsh conditions of life in North Africa, and suggests what
may be in store for the region and the wondering (nomadic) people who live
there.

At the beginning of this month I was in a hellish yet beautiful place. I was making a
programme for Radio 4 about one of the world’s most ancient trade routes. Every
year since at least the time of the Ancient Greeks, hundreds of thousands of camels
are led, strung together in trams, from the highlands of Ethiopia into the Danakil
depression: a descent into the desert of nearly 10,000 feet, a journey of about 100
miles. Here, by the edge of a blue-black and bitter salt lake, great floes of rock salt
encrusting the mud are prised up, hacked into slabs and loaded onto the camels.

1. With reference to the writer’s use of language, show what the writer suggests
about the highlands of Ethiopia. (4)

Context: This is an extract from an article focusing on whether parents are too over
protective.

Everywhere you turn there is an army of professionals – ably abetted by the media –
hard at work encouraging the parents to fear the worst. Don’t let your children out in
the sun – not unless they are wearing special UV resistant T-shirts. Don’t buy your
children a Wendy house, they might crush their fingers in the hinges. Don’t buy
plastic baby teethers, your baby might suck on the harmful chemicals. Don’t let them
use mobile phones, they’ll sizzle their brains. Don’t buy a second-hand car seat, it will
not protect them. And on and on it goes.

2. How does the writer’s use of language emphasise his feelings about the “army
of professionals”? (4)

Context: This is an extract from an article about the obesity epidemic in Scotland.

There is a huge amount to be done. We need to address what food means in

people’s emotional lives. We need to transform the culture of thinness. We need to
recognise that we as a society are deeply confused about eating and dieting. And we
need to realise that part of this confusion has been cynically promoted by those who
are selling us the obesity epidemic.

3. How does the writer’s use of language highlight her belief that action is required
to combat obesity? (4)
27
Context: This is an extract from an article which focuses on parenting.

We live in an age where parental paranoia has reached absurd heights. Collectively
we are now convinced that our children’s survival is permanently under threat;
worse still, we believe that every incident concerning a child, however benign or
accidental is immediately regarded as a case of bad parenting. We live under
perpetual suspicion; in turn we project it on to everyone else around us.

4. How does the writer’s use of language emphasise her belief that “parental
paranoia” is now excessive? (4)

Context: This is an extract from an article focusing on whether prison is the correct
place for young people who commit crimes.

Like half of all prisoners under the age of 25, Tuggy Tug has been in care. Despite
the £2.5 billion the government spends on the care system, nobody has got him
employment or training. Now it sounded as if he has graduated from one expensive
and failing institution to another: 80% of prisoners under the age of 25 reoffend
within 12 months of being released from prison, where it costs £38,000 a year to
keep them.

5. Show how the writer’s use of language in this extract highlights the author’s
concerns over the prison system. (4)

28
 SKILL - ANALYSIS: THE LINK QUESTION

Linking questions are very common in RUAE and are an easy way to gain two marks. Linking
questions always work in the same way, and you can therefore use the formula below to ensure
that you always get the marks available. Remember that you must quote when answering these
questions; also, try to be specific when stating what each quote is linking to in either the
previous or the upcoming paragraph.

APPROACH

Use the following formula:

● “ _________” links back to _______________as discussed in the previous

paragraph.
● “ _________”’ links to ________________ which is discussed in the next paragraph.

Example
There is something irresistible about the smell of fried bacon. It’s one of the delights of being a
meat-eater and possibly the single most common reason why weak-willed vegetarians throw in
the towel. For some, the joy of bacon lies in rashers squeezed between factory-sliced white
bread and smeared with tomato ketchup. For others, it’s the crisp slice of streaky bacon on the
British breakfast plate, ready to be dipped into runny yellow yolk or a dollop of baked beans.
And our love affair shows no sign of fading. A recent poll of Britain’s best-loved 100 foods saw
bacon at number one, beating chicken into second place and knocking chocolate into third. But
while one in ten Britons claim bacon as their favourite, are those rashers that sizzle so
seductively in the pan what they seem?

One problem may lie in the form of iron called haem that is found naturally in red meats such as
beef, lamb and pork. It can trigger the formation of substances called N-nitroso compounds
(NCOs) in the body which can damage the lining of the bowel. Some types of NCOs have been
linked to bowel cancer.

Question
With close reference to the text, explain clearly how the last sentence in paragraph1acts
as a link in the writer’s argument. 3

Answer
“bacon as their favourite” links back to the idea that a recent poll placed bacon in first
place of all best-loved foods, as discussed earlier in the paragraph.
“are those rashers...what they seem?” links to the idea that bacon is not a good food in
terms of your health and diet which is discussed in the next paragraph.

EXAMPLES TO TRY

Now try to the following examples, making use of the structured approach given at the
top of this page.

29
Context: This is an extract from an article where the writer explores some of the
reasons for the popularity of reality TV shows such as “The X Factor”.

It’s no coincidence that our love affair with The X Factor is so potent right now,
more than ever before, as Britain endures a period of relative austerity. In a time of
economic hardship, we are seeking out the simple and cheap — family
entertainment that makes us feel part of something bigger. But the popularity of
such shows may be traced back even further —to the emergence of 19th-century
periodicals which relied on reader contributions. Reality TV is merely a
manifestation of a very, very old craving. We love sentimental stories, such as
Dickens’ Little Nell; we love a tearjerker, and shows like The X Factor are no more
crass or exploitative than cheap sensational 19 th century fiction.

Yet it seems that 21st-century viewers are looking for more than just simple
entertainment. Part of the attraction is the sense of control The X Factor gives us:
the sense that we can put right wider social wrongs by voting for our favourite
contestants and that although our lives are being shaped by forces beyond our
control — such as government cutbacks, widespread job losses or social
deprivation — the ability to have a say in what happens to others in reality TV
shows gives us back a much -needed sense of power.

1. Explain how the sentence underlined helps to provide a link between these two
paragraphs. (2)

Context: This is an extract from a passage where the writer explores how
superstition can both help and hinder us.

But the superstitions and rituals so beloved by the world’s top players are not
confined to the court. They take even more bizarre twists when the poor dears get
home after their matches. Goran Ivanisevic got it into his head that if he won a
match he had to repeat everything he did the previous day, such as eating the
same food at the same restaurant, talking to the same people and watching the
same TV programmes. One year this meant that he had to watch Teletubbies
every morning during his Wimbledon campaign. “Sometimes it got very boring,” he
said.

Could it be that these multifarious superstitions tell us something of deeper

importance not only about humanity but about other species on the planet?
The answer, I think, is to be found in the world of pigeons. Yes, really. These
feathered fellows, you see, are the tennis players of the bird world. Don’t take my
word for it: that was the opinion of B. F. Skinner, the man widely regarded as the
father of modern psychology.

30
2. Explain why the underlined sentence works well at this point as a link of the
ideas between the two paragraphs. (2)

Context: This is an extract from an article from ‘The Times’ newspaper. The writer
describes the harsh conditions of life in North Africa, and suggests what may be in
store for the region and the wondering (nomadic) people who live there.

“But,” said Solomon, scratching one of the small fly-bites that were troubling all of
us, “if we could return here in 50 years, this village would be different. There will be
streets, electricity and proper buildings. As Ethiopia modernises, places like this
will be made more comfortable for people. Hamed Ela will probably be a big town.

And that is where Solomon was wrong. As Ethiopia modernises, the Afar people
will leave their desert home. They will drift into the towns and cities in the
highlands. Their voracious herds of goats will die. Their camels will no longer be of
any use. The only remembrance this place will have of the humans it bred will be
the stone fittings of their flimsy, ruined stick huts, and the mysterious black rock
burial mounds that litter the landscape.

3. Explain why the sentence underlined is an effective link between the two
paragraphs. (2)

And his characters, from Lord Snooty to Desperate Dan, and the varied worlds –
touching or hilarious or bonkers – they inhabit delight us still. He is universally
accepted as Scotland’s greatest ever cartoontist. Thanks to his great range and
astonishing draughtsmanship he is, even decades after his death, still
remembered by the public. (‘Aye, the guy who did the Broons.’)

Yet he was Scottish neither by birth nor upbringing. Dudley D. Watkins was born
in Manchester in 1907 and was 18 when his family moved to Scotland. After a
year at Glasgow School of Art, its principal personally recommended Watkins to
the management at DC Thomson. Initially on a six-month contract, he was soon
in Dundee, dashing off earnest illustrations for the publisher’s papers for boys.

4. Explain the part played by the first sentence of the second paragraph (‘Yet he was
Scottish neither by birth not upbringing.’) in the structure of the writer’s argument.
(2)

Mary Stuart was certainly rated a beauty by the standards of her own time: even
John Knox described her as ‘pleasing’. In her height, her small neat head, and
her grace she resembled the contemporary ideal. It was the type of beauty which
her contemporaries were already learning to admire in art, and could now
appreciate in life, all the more satisfyingly because it was in the person of a
princess.

Not only the appearance, but also the character of Mary Stuart made her
admirably suited to be a princess of France in the age in which she lived. Mary
was exactly the sort of beautiful woman, not precisely brilliant, but well-educated
and charming, who inspired and stimulated poets by her presence to feats of
homage.

31
5. Show how the first sentence of the second paragraph acts as a link in the
argument. (2)

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Alliteration The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of words

Example: “balloon bursting” from “Havisham”
Ambiguity Words or phrases in which the meaning is unclear or has several
interpretations
Example: the title of the poem, “Mid-term Break” by Seamus
Heaney
Assonance The repetition of similar vowel sounds
Example: “slice of ice” from “Stealing”
Climax Building up to an important moment
Example: Macbeth’s murder of Duncan in Act 2 represents the
point of no return, after which Macbeth is forced to continue
butchering his subjects to avoid the consequences of his crime.
Colloquial Ordinary, everyday speech

Connotation The implication or suggestion attached to a word or phrase

Example: colours and their meanings (black for death; red for
love/danger/anger)
Enjambment A line of a poem that flows into another one
Example: “Not a day since then/I haven’t wished him dead.” From
“Havisham”
Euphemism A nicer way of phrasing something quite harsh
Example: “passing away” rather than died

Hyperbole Elaborate exaggeration: I came down to a mountain of presents at

Christmas

Imagery (simile, Words or phrases used to create a picture in the reader’s mind
metaphor, Example: “ropes on the back of my hand I could strangle with” from
personification) “Havisham”

Inversion Word order which places the verb before the subject in order to
place emphasis on the word that sounds out of order
Example: “Blushing, she fled”; “long I stood”
Irony Saying or doing one thing while meaning another / something
unexpected happens
Duncan’s reply to Malcolm's report of the execution of the disloyal
Thane of Cawdor is ironic: "There's no art to find the mind's
construction in the face” (never judge a book by its cover). Duncan
is unable to predict the treachery of Cawdor and exactly at the
moment that Duncan speaks the line, Shakespeare seals the irony
by having Macbeth enter the court room.
Metaphor A comparison of two things in which you state that something is
something else
Example: life is a rollercoaster
Onomatopoeia Using sounds which copy the action taking place

32
 Example: “Bang” from “Havisham”; hiss

Oxymoron Placing together two items which are not usually placed together
Example: “Beloved sweetheart bastard” from “Havisham”

Paradox A puzzle; a statement that appears contradictory

Example: “Life is good, life is bad”; “Fair is foul and foul is fair”
from “Macbeth”
Personification: Giving human characteristics to an inanimate object
Example: The sun kissed the windowsill; the bite of Winter

Rhetorical A question which does not need an answer either because the
Question answer is obvious or implied in the question
Example: “How would you prepare to die on a perfect April
evening?” The answer is obvious: you couldn’t know how to
prepare for that
Sibilants: Words that begin with “s” or soft “c”
Example: “soft shoes” in “Sparrow”

Simile: The comparison of two things using the words “like” or “as”
Example: “Upright as statues”; she is like an angel

Symbolism: The use of a physical object as representative of something else

Example: Once Macbeth and Lady Macbeth embark upon their
murderous journey, blood comes to symbolise their guilt, and they
begin to feel that their crimes have stained them in a way that
cannot be washed clean. “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this
blood / Clean from my hand?” (Macbeth after he has killed Duncan
- 2.2). Lady Macbeth comes to share his horrified sense of being
stained: “Out, damned spot; out, I say . . . who would have thought
the old man to have had so much blood in him?” (5.1.). Blood
symbolises the guilt that sits like a permanent stain on the
consciences of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, one that pursues
them to their graves.
Theme: The central ideas explored in a piece of literature
Example: revenge and loss in Havisham; the corrupting power of
unchecked ambition in Macbeth; fate and free will in Macbeth
Transferred An adjective which is normally applied to a person is applied to an
Epithet: object to draw attention to it
Example: the labelling of Kinraddie as “sinful”, as it’s the people
they are actually referring to, not the town

RUAE Homework- Record Sheet Name:

Type of Date Mark What did you do well? Why did you lose
Question marks? (if applicable)

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Understanding-
In Your Own
Words

Understanding-
Summarising

Analysis-
Word Choice

Analysis-
Imagery

Analysis-
Tone

Analysis-
Sentence
Structure

Analysis-
Language
Revision

Analysis-
Link

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