Tips for Unfamiliar Texts
Close reading tests your comprehension, understanding, and critical analysis of how language is used to communicate a message to a reader. Therefore, you will need to be able to analyse the writer’s style. The style of a piece of writing is the way in which features of the language are used to convey meaning, typically but not always within the constraints of more widely accepted conventions of grammar and spelling. The ideas below will help you tackle Achievement Standard 3.5 ‘Unfamiliar Texts’.
Firstly:
- Understand what the passage is about – the main ideas – the main steps in any argument or development:
- break the passage into its essential parts
- identify the topic sentence of each paragraph
- identify the function of the passage
- summarise the passage
- interpret the title (or supply one).
The Vocabulary
- its relationship to the function
- its relationship to the intended audience
- its reflection of the author’s attitudes.
Possible Questions:
(The questions should always extend to why?)
- What evidence of educated or specialised word selection? (What is the level of vocabulary?)
- Why select specific words?
- What connotations are important for specific words? (think of the nature of connotations)
- What classes of word dominate? (adjectives in description? abstract nouns in argument…)
- What personal pronouns are evident? (note the personalised nature of the passage)
- Are there coinings, neologisms, altered word uses?
- Is any word or usage archaic? Is modern slang present?
- Are any words foreign or recent borrowings?
- Are there allusions to other texts, events, experiences (The Bible, Shakespeare …)
- Are there quotations from other texts? Acknowledged? Implied references?
- Is use made of abbreviation, or formulaic language? (specialised audience or tone)
- Are there clear examples of colloquialism, ornate selections, obscenity, slang, dialect words…? (range and nature of the audience and reader accessibility)
- What is the ratio of Latinate words to ‘simpler’ (Anglo-Saxon derived?) words?
- What use is made of imperative forms? (influence on the tone)
- Are interrogatives used?
- Are there sound patterns behind the selections?
Sentence Structures
- the nature of structures
- the patterns formed or repeated
- the role of fragments within the sentences
Possible Questions
- Are the sentences ‘short’ or ‘long’? (you should be able to define correctly)
- How does the length affect the clarity of the message or tone?
- What syntactical complexity is evident? And how is that achieved?
- Is there a patter of subject + verb + object/complement (or other patterns)?
- What is the effect of alterations or breaks to any pattern?
- Is the word order routine? What is the effect and purpose of other word order patterns?
- How are the sentences punctuated?
- What rhythms are set up by the sentence patterns? Balance? Repetition? Patterns of sentence length?
- How are conjunction used? What other linking devices are there?
- Are the sentences climactic or anti-climactic (periodic or loose)?
What is the logic of the sentence organisation? - What is the role of quotation, dialogue, monologue…?
- Are the constructions active or passive, or both?
Paragraph Structures
- placement of topic sentences
- nature of material developed in the paragraph
- sequence which orders the paragraphs
- variations in length and style of paragraph
Possible Questions
- Which sentence is the topic sentence?
- What is the internal organisation of the paragraph (loose or periodic)
- Do the paragraphs descend or ascend in terms of content importance?
- What is the function of each paragraph within the overall structure?
- What linking devices are used to coordinate the paragraphs?
- How is the movement between dialogue and other prose achieved?
- What is the function and form of the opening and closing paragraphs?
- What sense of crafting is evident in the paragraphing?
Tone
- the attitude demonstrated by the author to the subject of the writing
Possible Questions
- Is the author serious? persuasive? satirical? humorous? angry? didactic?…
- How is the author’s personality evident throughout the writing?
- Is the author writing directly or creating a persona?
- Is the author being emotive? passionless? balanced?
- How does the author achieve the lack of bias?
- Does the author’s attitude detract from or advance the basic thesis of the passage?
- How are the tone points reflected in the word choice, sentences, organisation?
- Is there change in the author’s stance or attitude?
- What regard is evident of the reaction of the reader?
- How is the reader ‘involved’ in the writing?
Imagery
- the author’s attempt to use words to create a visual or associated emotional response in the reader
- the use of sensual faculties to enhance mood or attitude
– a means by which the author can present an experience or perception in an individual perhaps unusual but recognisable manner.
The simple forms of imagery include:
- simile
- metaphor
- personification
- hyperbole (exaggeration)
- litotes (understatement)
Imagery can
- enhance atmosphere
- suggest meaning or imply attitude without direct statement
- allow a symbolic interpretation of otherwise concrete material
- introduce qualities which would otherwise not be apparent
Sound Devices
- patterns of sound used to achieve a specific effect
The commonest devices include:
- rhyme (end rhyme, half-rhyme)
- patterns of sound (alliteration, assonance)
- rhythm (alliteration, metre, repetition)
- onomatopoeia
- vowel colours
- consonant colour (heavy, harsh, light, syllibant…)
A method to handle exam passages
You can apply the following set of questions in the exam and review these questions before attempting to answer the close reading questions.
These questions are used to get a close reading of the prose extract or poem, especially when your mind draws a blank on a first reading.
Train yourself to use these questions methodically:
- What are they key words?
Which words stand out as important?
Which words reoccur? Has the use changed?
Which words are linked or similar?
- Why are the key words important?
How do they guide the reader’ thoughts?
What aspects of the subject of the passage do they focus on?
- What tone do they establish?
Harsh? Friendly? Cynical? Bitter? Positive? Loving? Distrust? Warm? Reflective? etc…
- What connotations do these words have?
What thoughts or attitudes are provoked by the key words?
- What images are created?
What images are stated? Developed?
What pictures are created in the mind?
What ideas or objects are linked?
- What impact do the images have?
How do the images cause you to react? To think? To feel?
- Does the title establish a tone?
What is introduced by the title?
Do the words of the title hold direct or ironic meaning?
Is the title an extract from or reference to anther work?
How blunt is the title?
- How are sounds used to reinforce tone?
Light or dark vowels?
Harsh or light consonants?
Repetitions or contrasts?
Patterns or randomness?
- What structures are used?
What sentences or line types are used?
What is the plan of the organisation of the content?
Is there any significance to the use, type, and placing of punctuation?
- What voice is used?
Active or passive? Involved or detached?
1st or 3rd person? Omniscience?
- What is the main topic of the passage?
- What specific points are being made in the passage?
How are they linked?
How are individual points developed?
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