Higher: Essay Question for homework!

Choose a novel in which there is a moment of significance for one of the characters. Explain briefly what the significant moment is and discuss, with reference to appropriate techniques, its significance to the text as a whole.


Remember that with key incident/turning point questions, you need to explain what has changed during the incident- which means analysing what things were like prior, then during and then after to prove your point.

Good luck and have a lovely festive season!

Ms B. x.

Higher Gatsby Essay plan mind-maps

Higher 'Hathaway' Questions

1.The main theme of the poem is introduced in the title and the first 5 lines. Identify one main theme and show how poetic technique is used to introduce this theme. 3

2.By referring closely to lines 3 – 10 analyse the use of poetic technique to emphasise the passion in their relationship. 2

3.Explain what Anne Hathaway means when she states that:
‘I dreamed he'd written me, the bed
a page beneath his writer's hands’ 2

4. How effective you find lines 13-14 as a conclusion to the poem? 3

5. Discuss how Carol Ann Duffy uses a persona in this poem and at least one other to highlight the poems’ main concern. 10

Nat 5 Homework 4A1- RUAE

FOR NEXT WEDNESDAY!!! (20th)

Complete the understanding questions consolidation sheet handed on out Wednesday.

See below for a copy of tasks:

USING YOUR OWN WORDS

Practise ‘using your own words’ questions:

1.             Myself, my family, my generation, were born in the world of silence; a world of hard work and necessary patience, of backs bent to the ground, hands massaging the crops, of waiting on weather and growth; of villages like ships in empty landscapes and long walking distances between them; of white narrow roads rutted by hooves and cartwheels, innocent of oil or petrol, down which people passed rarely, and almost never for pleasure, and the horse was the fastest thing moving.

Question

i)             What kind of agricultural work did the author’s family do during his/her childhood? 2

ii)            What further clues are there to what village life was like at the time. 3

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.

Question

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

CONTEXT QUESTIONS

Key strategies:

1.     You will be asked to explain the meaning of a word and show how sentences surrounding this word helped you to arrive at this meaning.

You should:

a)            Explain the meaning

b)            Identify the words/phrases which helped you arrive at this meaning

c)            Quote these words/phrases and explain how they helped you to understand the meaning of the word.

Example

        It appears to me undeniable that a people has its individual character, its peculiar capacity for trust and suspicion, kindness or cruelty, energy or lassitude.

Question

        How does the context in which it is used help you to understand the meaning of ‘lassitude’? 2

Answer

a)            The meaning of the word is tiredness or exhaustion.

b)            The word is surrounded by a list of opposites:  trust or suspicion, kindness or cruelty.

c)            ‘Lassitude’ must be the opposite of energy, which is tiredness or exhaustion.

Example

        It seems the childcare pendulum has swung; the principal threat to children is no longer neglectful parents, but excessively protective ones who are always worrying about germs.

Frank Furedi, reader in sociology at the University of Kent, has written a book, ‘Paranoid Parenting’, in which he explores the causes and far-reaching consequences of too much cosseting:  “It is always important to recall that our obsession with our children’s safety is likely to be more damaging to them than any risks which they are likely to meet in their daily encounter with the world,” Furedi writes.

So, far from fretting, like paranoid parents, about the risks of physical injury, Furedi seems almost nostalgic about them:  “Playground areas are now covered with rubber to limit the damage when a child does fall.”

Question

        How does the context in which it is used help you to understand the meaning of ‘cosseting’?2

                Task:

Examine the following answers to the question above.  Using the marking scheme, above ,allocate marks for these answers.

Answer 1: I think the word ‘cosseting’ means to be over-protective.  The writer quotes Furedi who describes ‘excessively protective parents’ who have an obsession with our children’s safety’.  The word excessive has connotations of going overboard with something as does the word ‘obsession’ which suggests an unhealthy attention to something, which makes me think that ‘cosseting’ means to over-protect.

Your mark ________

Notes:

 

Answer 2

It means to be too concerned or over-protective – molly-coddle as the writer talks about all the ways the parents are over-protective.

Your mark __________

	Notes:

 

Formula for context questions

If you follow this formula, you should always gain the full 2 marks for context questions.  If you learn the following words, you can use them every time you try this type of question.

            The expression ‘__________’ as used here means ____________.  I can work this out from the context because it says ‘______________’.  This suggests/means/gives the impression that ___________.

Context Questions

Using the formula for answering these types of questions, give the meaning of the expressions printed in bold in the following examples and show how the context helped you to arrive at the meaning.

Silverstein was implacable in pursuing his revenge.  After years of patient searching he had finally come face to face with his father’s tormentor, and he showed no mercy.

Question

Explain clearly in your own words how the context helped you to understand what the writer means by ‘implacable’.2

1.     For two days the general vacillated.  Should he give the order to advance, or should he allow his men to cling to their sturdy line of defence?  This hesitation was to prove fateful.

Question

Give the meaning of the term ‘vacillated’ and explain how the context helps the reader to arrive at the meaning. 2

2.     One reason why British theatre is less stuffy now than it was before the Second World War is that classes or groups who in the 1930s would not often have gone to the theatre, the young, the students, the more articulate layers of the working classes and the people of working class origin who have been to university, all have more money in their pockets.

Question

Explain clearly what the writer means by ‘the more articulate layers of the working classes.’ 2

3.     Recently I found myself unimpressed by some visiting American who stunned me with monstrous verbosity, determined to use five words where one would do, bent on calling a canteen an ‘in-plant feeding situation’ and a spade ‘a primitive earth-breaking implement.’

Question

Show how the context of ‘monstrous verbosity’ helps you to arrive at its meaning. 2

Nat 5 Homework- 'Gap Year'

POETRY:

Finish the work from your worksheet- started in class last poetry lesson!:

Continuum of emotion

 Create a continuum of the emotions in the poem, to prove your understanding of them.  Draw a line on a landscape piece of paper- and mark happiness at one end and sadness at the other.

Plot these quotes from the poem on the continuum, thinking carefully about which quotes are happier/more sad than the others:

Next: on your continuum, write down some more precise words to describe some of Kay’s emotions beside the relevant quote:  i.e. nostalgia, longing, pride, worry etc.

Fill in these new emotions onto your overview sheet!

WORD-CHOICE

Task Two: Read the statements, identify the effective piece of word choice and analyse it.

1.      The boy was interrogated about his actions by his parents.

2.        We have been bombarded with numerous images.

Now, check your answers at the bottom of  the page and give yourself a mark out of 4.  2 marks per question.

Task Three: In pairs, for each of the following quotes from the poem ‘Gap Year’, fully explain the effective example of word choice (in bold), following the correct steps from your formula.

Example:

 ‘I remember your Moses basket before you were born’.

The word choice of ‘remember’ means to think back over something. However, it has connotations of nostalgia, intimacy, and of something being meaningful enough to you for you to remember it. This shows us she is reminiscing positively about her memories of the past and how she waited in anticipation for Matthew’s birth.

Your turn

1. willing you to arrive, hardly able to believe
2. I’d feel the mound of my tight tub of a stomach
3. Now, I peek in your room and stare at your bed
4. Your handsome face – soft, open..
5. I feel like a home-alone mother
6. your empty bedroom, trying to imagine you in your bed
7. My love glows like the sunrise over the lost city

Numbers 2, 5 and 7 are also examples of imagery. Use your imagery formula (just as…,so…) to fully analyse these, using your word-choice analysis to help you !

Answers to task 2

1.       ‘interrogated’ – Denotation- to question. Connotations- force, crime, suspicion, lots of questions…

This suggests the parents asked the boy lots of questions, possibly to catch him out.

2.       ‘bombarded’ – Denotation- hit by connotations- attacked,  no escape, enveloped.

This suggests that there have been a lot of images, so many that it is overwhelming.

Higher homework for Wednesday!

For Wednesday

Find a quote from Chapter 7 that backs up each statement of character:

• Tom is a PRAGMATIST (when you deal with a problem in a realistic way rather than obeying fixed theories, ideas or rules). Think about his attitude to those who are different from him: is he a ‘successful’ character?
• George is a ROMANTIC. Think about how he feels about his wife and what he will do for her. How does he react when he learns of the affair?
• Gatsby is an IDEALIST (someone who believes that very good things can be achieved, often when this does not seem likely to others). Why does he pursue Daisy? What is his impression of her? Does he really want Daisy or just the dream of her?

Then, read Chapter 8!  

On Wednesday, we will be finishing work on Chapter 7- the turning point- and starting work on Chapter 8. So be prepared!

Nat 5: Kay homework- storyboard and emotion chart.

FINISH FOR NEXT TUESDAY!

1. STORYBOARD

•Visualise the narrative of the poem in a series of 6-8 images.
•These may be in storyboard or graphic novel form.
•Choose your images carefully.
•Then, draw the image into the box and include the matching quote beneath your pictures.



2. Once finished:

Consider the relationship between the physical journey/ distances in the poem and the emotional ones.

Chart this by finding quotes and organising them under the following headings:


Physical                       Emotional                                Both



Then, answer the following question: 

What do you notice about the relationship between these two types of ‘journey/distance’?

NAT 5: RUAE homework! Finish the task from today!

You are going to work on finding main ideas and supporting details, and changing these into your own words, in some more short texts. The texts, and tasks, will become more challenging as we go on... so prepare yourself.

You can practice this by taking any sentence from any text and trying to change it into your own words! Your broadsheet reviews will help you with this also!

Task: Read these paragraphs from the Shetland brochure:

The treeless nature of the islands is due at least in part to the salt spray from the sea thrust ashore by these winds.

The winds have also shaped the built landscape. The buildings along Lerwick’s long narrow main street are huddled together for protection from the elements. All the islands’ many harbours are either natural shelters or else have been given substantial breakwaters. At Sumburgh airport the runway has giant rock defences at either end to protect it from the huge seas. The spectacular power of the sea in strong winds is nowhere better witnessed than along the Eshaness coastline. At the end of the road a lighthouse sits high on a cliff, but stones from the rolling sea below have from time to time broken its windows.



Task: Find the information about the capitalised words and translate them into your own words. I have done the first one for you.

1 TREES- There are no trees on the islands because of the salt travelling from the sea, via the wind, to the shore.

2 STREET-

3 HARBOURS

4 AIRPORT

5 LIGHTHOUSE

National 5 work to be collected

I have a big stack of marked essays, Scottish text practice etc to be collected. You can use this feedback for revision. Come and get it. I will be around and free last period today and for about an hour after school!!!

National 5 LOTF ESSAY QNS FOR HOMEWORK

Choose an essay question to complete over the October break:

1.Choose a novel or a short story in which the author creates a fascinating character. By referring to appropriate techniques, show how the author has created this character and why you found him/her so fascinating.

2.Choose a novel or a short story in which there is a conflict between two main characters. By referring to appropriate techniques, show how the author has created this conflict.

3. Choose a novel or a short story in which a character makes a mistake. By referring to appropriate techniques, show how the author has made the mistake significant in the rest of the novel.

4. Choose a novel or a short story in which setting plays an important role. By referring to appropriate techniques, show how the author has made setting an important part of the text.

5. Choose a novel which you feel has an effective ending. With reference to the novel as a whole, explain what features make the ending so effective and how it contributes to your understanding of the central themes.

Nat 5 ST Exam prac questions: 'Divorce'

Nat 5 LOTF character statements

Ralph

1.He is the epitome of the stereotyped protagonist –tall, fair-skinned, blonde hair, blue-eyed (ironically Aryan featured).
2.He represents the good in mankind
3.He also symbolizes that all men, even the good ones, are flawed – have the ability to be cruel
4.He and Jack are binary oppositions of one another.
5.Elected leader, but not forceful enough to maintain the position.
6.An idealist and a dreamer – it is Piggy who does all of the thinking for him.
7.He is eventually reduced to the status of outcast, who must flee for his life.
8.Just before the end, he becomes almost savage and animalistic in order to try to survive
9.At the end of the novel he is a disillusioned realist, who now sees the world and its inhabitants for what they really are.

Piggy

1.Piggy is the stereotypical ‘victim’ in the novel – overweight, fat, asthmatic and short-sighted. His presence initially makes the other boys either wince or make fun of him.
2.He is represented as being of a lower class than the other boys, and consequently speaks and acts differently.
3.Ironically, although the others treat him with disrespect, he is the boy who speaks the most sense – he is intelligent, thoughtful and able to reason and hypothesise.
4.He is a paternal figure who looks after and supports the little’uns.
5.He becomes a wise counsellor who supports Ralph’s attempts at democratic, parliamentary rule.
6.He increasingly finds himself at odds with Jack, a person who he instinctively fears and loathes.
7.Jack’s subordinate Roger crushes Piggy with the boulder and, with this, we know that hope for civilization is completely lost.
8.Sight is metaphorically and literally associated with Piggy.

Jack

1.He is meant to represent the worst in people.
2.His physical appearance serves as a warning sign – the flame red hair, the pale face that blanches with displeasure.
3.He is used to taking up a leadership position – first leader of the choir, he becomes leader of the hunters.
4.We can see he is power-hungry at the start
5.However, at the start he does seem to try to be friends with Ralph and he does seem to want to follow some rules.
6. He is later responsible for splitting the group – he does this by terrorising them and offering them a tempting life of hunting and plenty of meat.
7.His leadership results in a dictatorship, where he rules ‘his’ tribe with fear.
8.Jack is a spontaneous individual who wants instant gratification for his desires.
9.He doesn’t think through the consequences of his actions (as Ralph does), but puts himself first at all times.
10.He is amoral and only enforces the sense of justice that he feels is right.

Simon

1.He is a dark, mystical who the other boys find ‘odd’.
2.He goes barefoot and is an isolated figure – Golding deliberately makes Simon a Christ-like figure, the analogy is not coincidental.
3.He is helpful and cooperative, and the only boy to help Ralph build the shelters.
4.He is one of the three boys who initially explores the island (with Jack and Ralph – would we overtly notice that he’s there?)
5.He has a marked physical weakness in that he appears to suffer from epilepsy (also associated with prophetic qualities).
6.He has a high level of intuitive intelligence and this allows him to confront the boys’ fears about the ‘beast’
7.An original member of the choir, he is ultimately killed by the choir in a ritual frenzy (murder/ manslaughter?)- this could be symbolic of man’s ability to kill ‘one of his own’, showing the true extent of the cruelty man is capable of.

Roger

1.He is mysterious, secretive, slight and furtive. 

2.As Jack’s lieutenant, he comes to think like Jack and does not question the consequences of his actions. 

3.His name literally means ‘famous with a spear’ and we often see him with weapons. 

4.He is a sadist who delights in inflicting pain – he is unnecessarily cruel in the sow killing incident. 

5.He is the logical extension of Jack’s character. He does things that Jack wants to do, but can’t seem to bring himself to. 

6.He prepares the stick ‘sharpened at both ends’ to mount Ralph’s head- showing his sadistic nature.

HIgher 'Valentine questions'

Many of the main ideas or concerns of the poem come across clearly in the first and second stanzas.

 
1. By referring closely to lines 1-5, evaluate their effectiveness as an opening to the poem. 2

2. Discuss how the writer effectively creates a persona through her use of word choice, structure and/or tone. 4

3. Analyse how the writer’s use of imagery and/or symbolism is effective in conveying the persona’s opinions on love. 4

4A1 'Bed' HOMEWORK FOR TUESDAY 26th

1)What do we learn about the speaker’s circumstances in stanzas 1 and 2?
2)What feelings does she express about her situation?
3)Name the techniques the poet uses in the following phrases and comment on how effective they are in portraying the woman’s personality: “this big blastit bed”; “year in, year oot”; “ma great tent o’ nappy”.
4)What reason is suggested for the lack of communication between mother and daughter in the statement, “the blethers ha been plucked oot o’ us”?
5)In stanzas 4, 5 and 6, what more do we learn about her and her situation?
6)Which of her expressions reveal her frustration with her isolation and lack of company?
7)Look at stanza 7. Why do you think she says “Aye fine” when her daughter hands over her “baby food”?
8)In stanza 9 and the first line of stanza 10 the woman’s language becomes less conversational. Comment on the effectiveness of the language techniques the poet uses to convey this change.
9)What qualities does the woman still have, despite her cruel circumstances?

Nat 5 broadsheet review power-point

Can be found here:
https://msbellamyenglish.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/nat-5-broadsheet-review-pp/

N5 LOTF Characterisation: Ralph key points

RALPH

1.He is the epitome of the stereotyped protagonist –tall, fair-skinned, blonde hair, blue-eyed (ironically Aryan featured).
2.He represents the good in mankind
3.He also symbolizes that all men, even the good ones, are flawed – have the ability to be cruel
4.He and Jack are binary oppositions of one another.
5.Elected leader, but not forceful enough to maintain the position.
6.An idealist and a dreamer – it is Piggy who does all of the thinking for him.
7.He is eventually reduced to the status of outcast, who must flee for his life.
8.Just before the end, he becomes almost savage and animalistic in order to try to survive
9.At the end of the novel he is a disillusioned realist, who now sees the world and its inhabitants for what they really are.

S3 'Brooklyn Cop' article analysis questions

1.State the purpose of the article- what was the writer trying to do when he/she wrote it? Persuade you think something? Inform you about something? Why do you think this?


2.What does the article tell you about Brooklyn cops? Bullet point at least 3 things.


3.What evidence is provided to back up each of these point made about Brooklyn cops (use your 3 points from the answers above)?


4.What is the writer’s point of view of Brooklyn cops? (does she respect them? Think they do their jobs properly? Does she think life is difficult for them?)


5.How is this point of view clearly shown ( Quote and comment on at least 3 aspects of language here and explain them fully) i.e.

  ‘with his brethren loitering’. Word-choice of ‘loitering’ has a denotation of standing around with no apparent purpose. Connotations of 'loitering' are laziness, being ‘up to no good’. This tells us that the writer thinks Brooklyn cops are idle and not doing their jobs properly.


6. How did the article make you feel about police in Brooklyn?

Nat 5 Dramatic monolgue features

Can be found on the Nat 5 Jackie Kay page at link to the side of this blog.

Nat 5 'Bed' translation task and dicussion question.

To be completed for next Tuesday.


1. In pairs, discuss what the old woman is actually saying in the poem. Bullet point the main things that she tells you.

2. Now, individually, translate the poem into a series of diary entries, in the persona of the old woman but in normal English.
•The diary should begin in the morning and end at night.
•Pay attention to detail; use the poem to guide you but also show some creative license where
appropriate.



After writing: compare your translation to the original poem. Consider what is lost in the act of translation from Scots to Standard English and from poetry to prose. Why did Kay choose to write in the form that she did?

 

Link to persuasive plan.

In case you are struggling to find it:
http://msbellamyenglish.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/persuasive-proposal-and-example-proposal.html?m=1

Good luck

Good luck to last year's Higher pupils. Drop me an email or message to let me know how you did and how you are feeling. Fingers crossed! #teachersgetjustasnervousaspupils

Higher-Writers who dismiss punctuation

https://qwiklit.com/2014/03/05/top-10-authors-who-ignored-the-basic-rules-of-punctuation/

Higher- listening prac

Watch the following and analyse and evaluate the content of each, considering the way the speaker uses language to affect the viewer’s attitude

A speech:

How to Make Stress Your Friend

A topical debate:

Is Social Media out of Control?

Good luck!

Just to say good luck to all of those sitting Higher English tomorrow!

Revision mind-maps on narration etc HIGHER

To find the essay revision mind-maps, please either scroll down and click older pages or go to archive on the right hand side and click December 2016.

All of the essay questions since 2002 and more DOAS powerpoint notes can be found here:
https://msbellamyenglish.wordpress.com/

GOOD LUCK!!

Goodbye and good luck to Higher class 2017

It was an emotional last day (and I do look like a gremlin in the photographs- just as I said I would...)!
Good luck to you all. I am very proud of how far you have come this year and I am sure, with continued revision and determination, that your exam results will reflect this progress. I will miss you, but I also await your success with anticipation!

HIGHER Sentence structure notes

•Please remember that lists show either multitude (that there are lots of things) or variation (that there is a wide variety).
•Lists can be polysyndetic- elements joined by conjunctions: ‘a pen, and a pencil, and a ruler with a…’ usually showing excitement or fear and/or drawing attention to each separate item.

•Or they can be asyndetic- no conjunctions.

•Lists can be climatic- leading up to a climax (ending with the most powerful) to emphasise progress or the last element

•Lists can be anti-climatic (seem to be leading to a climax but then do not)- can show disappointment, exhaustion, dismission.



Sentence structure questions usually come in three forms:


•Identify two aspects of sentence structure and explain…….

•Comment on effectiveness of the writer’s sentence structure in promoting his argument about…………

•Explain how the sentence structure is used to……


Formula:

•Identify/highlight an important aspect of sentence structure

•Quote to show the element

•Explain how it works/comment on the effect it has

S3 LOTF Essay for over holidays

Essay Question: How does characterisation of Ralph help us to explore the main theme: the cruelty of mankind?

Points from class discussion:

Para 1- 'At the beginning of the novel, Ralph seems to be driven towards retaining civilisation and helping the boys to be rescued although there are hints that he is not completely good.'

Linking sentence for second quote of PCQECQEL structure- 'Despite this, there are signs of cruelty within him- as he makes fun of Piggy- although we do see him regret this.'

Para 2: 'The cruelty of mankind is shown when Ralph succumbs to the temptation of hunting. He throws a spear to hit a pig and is excited by the prospect of hurting it/killing it.'

Para 3: 'The cruelty of mankind or the darkness that can exist in everyone is perhaps most clearly shown by all of the boys’ involvement in the death of Simon.'

Para 4: 'In the final chapters, we see that the extremes of situation have caused Ralph to become more violent and savage. He is described in animalistic terminology which reveals the darkness that exists in everyone.'

2V1 Personal reflective personality task

 Change the information in your table into descriptive paragraphs.

Success Criteria: 

• use first person throughout;
•  lots of thoughts and feelings; 
• try to use ambitious vocabulary; 
• give clear examples of your personality traits; 
• try to explain why you are like this; 
• try to show your personality in your writing.
  

Pupil example

'I’m often told that I have poor posture but I have never done anything to improve this. That’s an issue of mine- not doing things to improve. I know I am lazy but my laziness stops me from improving even this. My teachers are always shouting at me, and they are almost as bad as my parents, who seem to be constantly bemoaning my existence. I guess I should try a little harder to be more ‘pro-active’ about things, but I often find it difficult to get excited or motivated about day-to-day things! I mean- who really gets excited about doing the dishes? Where’s the motivation, apart from to not get shouted at? Saying that, at school I am trying a little harder. I’ve realised that if I am nicer to other people, then generally they are nicer to me back- and that life is much easier when people are nice to you! I guess I’m also realising that some things do matter- and I want a good future for myself and my family so there is motivation to work harder and get good grades. I find I can be quite determined I have a goal to work towards and I can feel myself progressing at something. Perhaps that is why I have been lazy in the past- because I haven’t really been able to see the end goal- or the point of the task- which brings me back to the dishes- why can’t we just get a dishwasher? Surely, there are better things to do with your time than scrub plates?

I guess talking about the future and goals, brings me to another personality trait of mine- not noticing things until it is too late. My mum often says I am a bit of a dreamer, and I have noticed that I am not the most observant. Sometimes it takes me a while to notice things- like people being upset with me, or the fact that there is someone knocking on the door. Maybe I pay a little too much play-station and that distracts me too much. I often find myself planning my next game-move when I should be thinking (or doing) something else! Especially in Maths. I want to join the army and I do realise that numeracy is important. It’s just that sometimes ‘Call of Duty’ seems a lot more relevant to my future than fractions do!'