Higher English- Reading for UAE Question Types (and how to answer them)
Identify
· Highlight the relevant points in the part of the passage the questions refers to
· Turn these into your own words
· Give several, short, bullet-pointed answers (you will get 1 mark for each of these that is correct, but try to give more answers than thee are marks available)
· Do not quote
Example:
Read lines 1—5.
Identify any two positive aspects of Central Valley, California, which are conveyed in these lines. Use your own words in your answer. (2)
Answer:
· The variety of different crops and plants being grown
· There is a large and profitable dairy industry
· There is clean air
· The very large volume of trees
Explain
· Similar to an identify question, you should highlight relevant points made by a writer and turn these into your own words
· However, you will need to give longer, more detailed explanations.
Linking Question
· Quote the word or phrase linking back
· Say what idea it links back to
· Quote the word or phrase linking forward
· Say what it links forward to
Example
Read lines 17—19.
Explain the function of these lines in the development of the writer’s argument.
You should make close reference to the passage in your answer
Answer:
“intensification from America’ links back to the discussion of intensive dairy farming in California.
“farming in Britain ‘ links forward to the discussion of how the problems facing British farming.
Word Choice
· Identify a word or short phrase
· Quote this word/ phrase
· Explain how the connotations convey the writer’s points
Example:
Analyse how the writer’s word choice in lines 1–4 illustrates his feelings about Ali.
Answer:
‘Glorious’ has connotations of great majesty, of something stunning to behold. It has suggestions of almost religious worship. This suggests that Ali was so important to the writer that he was almost a seen as more than human.
Imagery
1. Identify and quote the image (this will be an example of simile, metaphor or personification)
2. Explain what two things are being compared within this imagery.
3. Explain what the two things being compared have in common (just as . . . so too)
4. Explain how this comparison helps to convey the writer’s point.
Example:
Analyse how, in lines 15-22, the writer conveys the difficulty of playing video games by his use of imagery.
Answer:
“wrestling with the game”
The experience of playing video games is compared to close, physical combat with a single opponent. This suggests that just as wrestling involves a demanding, exhausting battle with an unforgiving enemy so too video games involve a high degree of arduous struggle.
Sentence Structure
· Quote the sentence(s) you are analysing
· Identify the relevant features of sentence structure. Be detailed and specific here: don’t just say ‘a list’; say what it’s a list of, if it’s a big or small list and how it develops.
· Explain how this structure helps to convey the writer’s point
Example:
Analyse how, in lines 15-22, the writer conveys the difficulty of playing video games by his use of sentence structure
Answer:
“You may be frustrated; you may be confused or disorientated; you may be stuck.”
There are three clauses, each starting with ‘You may’ followed by an emotion associated with difficulty. The repetition of ‘you may’ highlights the many difficulties caused by playing video games, having a cumulative effect making it seem as if these difficulties are overwhelming. This is reinforced through the use of semi-colons, helping to join together all the different problems games may present, again making it seem as if these problems are endless.
F. Tone
· Identify the tone.
· Quote words or phrase which create the tone (or make close reference to parts of the passage which do)
· Explain how your examples create this tone.
Example
How effective is the writer’s use of tone in the opening paragraph?
I'm not entirely certain I can pinpoint the moment I first realised EastEnders isn't a documentary. Maybe it was when Den Watts was assassinated by a bunch of daffodils. Or when he came back from the dead and then got killed again. Or when Steve Owen's mother tried to French-kiss him on her deathbed. Or when Ricky Butcher became a speedway champion for one week. Or when Melanie Healy slept with Phil Mitchell on Christmas Day. Or when Max Branning got buried alive.
Answer: The writer’s use of an ironic tone was extremely effective. The tone is clearly ironic as he describes attempting to ‘pinpoint the moment I realized Eastenders isn’t a documentary’. This is a successful use of irony because he is suggesting that is difficult to distinguish between a soap opera and factual reporting, when it is not. This is effective in establishing his point that Eastenders is not a reflection of reality and should not be judged as such.
Effective Conclusion
· Identify specific aspects of the final paragraph
· Explain how they provide an effective conclusion by linking them back to earlier ideas or features of style in the passage
Example
Read lines 56—63.
Evaluate the effectiveness of the final paragraph as a conclusion to the writer’s criticism of industrial farming.
Answer
It provides an effective conclusion because it returns to a key idea from earlier: intensive dairy farming is something which is hidden from the public, it happens behind ‘closed doors’. This is reminiscent of when it was described as a ‘dirty secret’ earlier in the passage.
Also, the final sentence provides a strong climax. It gives an image of farm animals being kept indoors in unpleasant conditions. This ends the whole passage on two of the key ideas from earlier: this type of dairy farming is unnatural and the animals are treated cruelly.
Final Question
· Identify key areas of agreement and/ or disagreement.
· Find short quotations to illustrate each point
· Explain what each paragraph has to say about the area of agreement or disagreement, back this up with quotations and explain them.
· You must cover at least three areas of agreement.
Example:
Consider the attitude displayed by each writer to video games and their effects on young people.
Referring to important ideas in the passages, identify the key areas on which they disagree.
You may answer this question in continuous prose or in a series of developed bullet points.
Answer (do this at least three times):
The difficulty of gaming:
Passage 1 argues that video games are very challenging. He describes games as “maddeningly hard” and as such they require and develop problem solving skills, thus making games beneficial to the player.
Passage 2 disagrees, arguing that video games offer little to no challenge. He describes the players as “spoon-fed” suggesting that games are not difficult or stimulating and as such do not develop any skills.