Nat 5 Scottish Text final question structure and notes

This paper makes up one half of the Critical Reading Paper in the exam.

In the Scottish Text section you will be asked to read an extract from a text you have previously studied in class (a Carol Ann Duffy poem), and then answer questions on it.

This paper will be worth 20 marks.

• 1 poem or excerpt from a poem/text
• 3 or 4 analysis/understanding questions of the poem/excerpt shown for up to 12 marks.
• Then, 1 8 mark question which asks you to compare 2 or more poems/sections of the text in answer to a question. 

Before you begin:



§Read the poem/excerpt through before you start, even if you know it well.
§Read the questions carefully.
§Work out exactly what they are asking before you answer.
§Check how many marks each question is worth and think about how these marks will be allocated.

Question Types

Identify two of the main concerns in the text…

• ‘Identify’ means finding an idea and putting it into your own words- unless it asks you to identify a quote or technique.
• When asked about the main ideas / concerns of the text show your understanding of poem/text’s story and the main messages / themes it is conveying.

Show how one example of the language helps to clarify or illustrate meaning…

• There could be up to 6 marks awarded in this paper for this type of question. 
• To answer successfully you will have to quote a word / image / technique (1) and then comment on its effect in relation to the question (1).

How effective do you find…

• These questions are asking how well you think the writer has done something. 
• Generally speaking, you say the writer has used language well and then go on to show how by quoting a word / technique and commenting on it. 

How effective do you find any two aspects of the final stanza/paragraph as a conclusion to the poem/text?

• In this type of question you will need to show an understanding of the term ‘conclusion’ and show how the last lines continue the ideas / language / imagery from the rest of the poem. 
• Marks are allocated: example(1) + comment (1) 

Generally, conclusions sum up the key ideas of a text and leave us with something to think about.
In poetry, poets use a number of techniques to effectively conclude their work.
These include: a continuation of the ideas from earlier in the poem; a continuation of language from earlier in the poem; a continuation of imagery from earlier in the poem; a link / echo of the opening lines; a striking / dramatic final line which highlights one of the poem’s key ideas; rhetorical questions.

The Final Question


The final question is worth 8 marks.
It will ask you to compare or contrast the poem/excerpt you have in front of you with at least one other you have studied by the same writer.
This can be set out in bullet points or a mini-essay.
The following  provides guidance on how to do this.







Organise your answer into 4 bullet points or paragraphs, each worth 2 marks and a conclusion:


1. Refer to another poem/scene and say what it has in common / in contrast with the given text in answer to the question. (2)

(e.g. theme, central relationship, importance of setting, use of imagery, development in characterisation, use of personal experience, use of narrative style, any other key feature…)

2. Refer to the extract you have been given in relation to the question. (2)

(1 x relevant reference to technique/idea/feature (1) + 1 x appropriate comment (1))

3. Refer to the second text in relation to the question. (2)

(1 x relevant reference to technique/idea/feature (1) + 1 x appropriate comment (1))

4. Repeat stage 3.


Example

Question:  With close textual reference, show how the ideas and/or language used when presenting the theme of love in ‘Havisham’ are similar and/or different to the way love is explored in another poem or poems by Duffy.

Answer:
Both ‘Havisham’ and ‘Valentine’ explore the painful side of love through strong imagery and word-choice (1). They both present the theme of love in a similar way as they discuss the hurt that can be caused when relationships go wrong (1).
In ‘Havisham’ the phrase “b-b-b-breaks” (1) illustrates that love can break your heart, but also your spirit and your mind. The repetition of ‘b-’ reminds us of sobbing and shows the intense pain caused. (1)
Similarly, in ‘Valentine’ Duffy says “it will blind you with tears” (1). The metaphor of 'blind you' shows that love can make you cry so much that you can see nothing else but the pain of it, clearly showing the hurt that can be caused (1).
Also, in ‘Valentine’, “lethal” (1) has connotations of death, suggesting that the end of relationships can be devastating (1), that the pain of love can make you feel like you are dying.