Please can you go to this link and download the exam papers 1 and 2 from 2006.
http://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/uppersec/alevel/subject?assdef_id=778
Monday, 26 May 2008
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Linking Words for essays
Giving examples
For example
For instance
Namely
The most common way of giving examples is by using for example or for instance.
Namely refers to something by name.
"There are two problems: namely, the expense and the time."
Adding information
And
In addition
As well as
Also
Too
Furthermore
Moreover
Apart from
In addition to
Besides
Ideas are often linked by and. In a list, you put a comma between each item, but not before and.
"We discussed training, education and the budget."
Also is used to add an extra idea or emphasis. "We also spoke about marketing."
You can use also with not only to give emphasis.
"We are concerned not only by the costs, but also by the competition."
We don't usually start a sentence with also. If you want to start a sentence with a phrase that means also, you can use In addition, or In addition to this…
As well as can be used at the beginning or the middle of a sentence.
"As well as the costs, we are concerned by the competition."
"We are interested in costs as well as the competition."
Too goes either at the end of the sentence, or after the subject and means as well.
"They were concerned too."
"I, too, was concerned."
Apart from and besides are often used to mean as well as, or in addition to.
"Apart from Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer."
"Besides Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer."
Moreover and furthermore add extra information to the point you are making.
"Marketing plans give us an idea of the potential market. Moreover, they tell us about the competition."
Summarising
In short
In brief
In summary
To summarise
In a nutshell
To conclude
In conclusion
We normally use these words at the beginning of the sentence to give a summary of what we have said or written.
Sequencing ideas
The former, … the latter
Firstly, secondly, finally
The first point is
Lastly
The following
The former and the latter are useful when you want to refer to one of two points."Marketing and finance are both covered in the course. The former is studied in the first term and the latter is studied in the final term."
Firstly, … secondly, … finally (or lastly) are useful ways to list ideas.
It's rare to use "fourthly", or "fifthly". Instead, try the first point, the second point, the third point and so on.
The following is a good way of starting a list.
"The following people have been chosen to go on the training course: N Peters, C Jones and A Owen."
Giving a reason
Due to / due to the fact that
Owing to / owing to the fact that
Because
Because of
Since
As
Due to and owing to must be followed by a noun.
"Due to the rise in oil prices, the inflation rate rose by 1.25%."
"Owing to the demand, we are unable to supply all items within 2 weeks."
If you want to follow these words with a clause (a subject, verb and object), you must follow the words with the fact that.
"Due to the fact that oil prices have risen, the inflation rate has gone up by 1%25."
"Owing to the fact that the workers have gone on strike, the company has been unable to fulfil all its orders."
Because / because of
Because of is followed by a noun.
"Because of bad weather, the football match was postponed."
Because can be used at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. For example, "Because it was raining, the match was postponed."
"We believe in incentive schemes, because we want our employees to be more productive."
Since / as
Since and as mean because.
"Since the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff."
"As the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff."
Giving a result
Therefore
So
Consequently
This means that
As a result
Therefore, so, consequently and as a result are all used in a similar way.
"The company are expanding. Therefore / So / Consequently / As a result, they are taking on extra staff."
So is more informal.
Contrasting ideas
But
However
Although / even though
Despite / despite the fact that
In spite of / in spite of the fact that
Nevertheless
Nonetheless
While
Whereas
Unlike
In theory… in practice…
But is more informal than however. It is not normally used at the beginning of a sentence.
"He works hard, but he doesn't earn much.""He works hard. However, he doesn't earn much."
Although, despite and in spite of introduce an idea of contrast. With these words, you must have two halves of a sentence.
"Although it was cold, she went out in shorts.""In spite of the cold, she went out in shorts."
Despite and in spite of are used in the same way as due to and owing to. They must be followed by a noun. If you want to follow them with a noun and a verb, you must use the fact that.
"Despite the fact that the company was doing badly, they took on extra employees."
Nevertheless and nonetheless mean in spite of that or anyway.
"The sea was cold, but he went swimming nevertheless." (In spite of the fact that it was cold.)
"The company is doing well. Nonetheless, they aren't going to expand this year."
While, whereas and unlike are used to show how two things are different from each other.
"While my sister has blue eyes, mine are brown."
"Taxes have gone up, whereas social security contributions have gone down."
"Unlike in the UK, the USA has cheap petrol."
In theory… in practice… show an unexpected result.
"In theory, teachers should prepare for lessons, but in practice, they often don't have enough time."
For example
For instance
Namely
The most common way of giving examples is by using for example or for instance.
Namely refers to something by name.
"There are two problems: namely, the expense and the time."
Adding information
And
In addition
As well as
Also
Too
Furthermore
Moreover
Apart from
In addition to
Besides
Ideas are often linked by and. In a list, you put a comma between each item, but not before and.
"We discussed training, education and the budget."
Also is used to add an extra idea or emphasis. "We also spoke about marketing."
You can use also with not only to give emphasis.
"We are concerned not only by the costs, but also by the competition."
We don't usually start a sentence with also. If you want to start a sentence with a phrase that means also, you can use In addition, or In addition to this…
As well as can be used at the beginning or the middle of a sentence.
"As well as the costs, we are concerned by the competition."
"We are interested in costs as well as the competition."
Too goes either at the end of the sentence, or after the subject and means as well.
"They were concerned too."
"I, too, was concerned."
Apart from and besides are often used to mean as well as, or in addition to.
"Apart from Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer."
"Besides Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer."
Moreover and furthermore add extra information to the point you are making.
"Marketing plans give us an idea of the potential market. Moreover, they tell us about the competition."
Summarising
In short
In brief
In summary
To summarise
In a nutshell
To conclude
In conclusion
We normally use these words at the beginning of the sentence to give a summary of what we have said or written.
Sequencing ideas
The former, … the latter
Firstly, secondly, finally
The first point is
Lastly
The following
The former and the latter are useful when you want to refer to one of two points."Marketing and finance are both covered in the course. The former is studied in the first term and the latter is studied in the final term."
Firstly, … secondly, … finally (or lastly) are useful ways to list ideas.
It's rare to use "fourthly", or "fifthly". Instead, try the first point, the second point, the third point and so on.
The following is a good way of starting a list.
"The following people have been chosen to go on the training course: N Peters, C Jones and A Owen."
Giving a reason
Due to / due to the fact that
Owing to / owing to the fact that
Because
Because of
Since
As
Due to and owing to must be followed by a noun.
"Due to the rise in oil prices, the inflation rate rose by 1.25%."
"Owing to the demand, we are unable to supply all items within 2 weeks."
If you want to follow these words with a clause (a subject, verb and object), you must follow the words with the fact that.
"Due to the fact that oil prices have risen, the inflation rate has gone up by 1%25."
"Owing to the fact that the workers have gone on strike, the company has been unable to fulfil all its orders."
Because / because of
Because of is followed by a noun.
"Because of bad weather, the football match was postponed."
Because can be used at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. For example, "Because it was raining, the match was postponed."
"We believe in incentive schemes, because we want our employees to be more productive."
Since / as
Since and as mean because.
"Since the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff."
"As the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff."
Giving a result
Therefore
So
Consequently
This means that
As a result
Therefore, so, consequently and as a result are all used in a similar way.
"The company are expanding. Therefore / So / Consequently / As a result, they are taking on extra staff."
So is more informal.
Contrasting ideas
But
However
Although / even though
Despite / despite the fact that
In spite of / in spite of the fact that
Nevertheless
Nonetheless
While
Whereas
Unlike
In theory… in practice…
But is more informal than however. It is not normally used at the beginning of a sentence.
"He works hard, but he doesn't earn much.""He works hard. However, he doesn't earn much."
Although, despite and in spite of introduce an idea of contrast. With these words, you must have two halves of a sentence.
"Although it was cold, she went out in shorts.""In spite of the cold, she went out in shorts."
Despite and in spite of are used in the same way as due to and owing to. They must be followed by a noun. If you want to follow them with a noun and a verb, you must use the fact that.
"Despite the fact that the company was doing badly, they took on extra employees."
Nevertheless and nonetheless mean in spite of that or anyway.
"The sea was cold, but he went swimming nevertheless." (In spite of the fact that it was cold.)
"The company is doing well. Nonetheless, they aren't going to expand this year."
While, whereas and unlike are used to show how two things are different from each other.
"While my sister has blue eyes, mine are brown."
"Taxes have gone up, whereas social security contributions have gone down."
"Unlike in the UK, the USA has cheap petrol."
In theory… in practice… show an unexpected result.
"In theory, teachers should prepare for lessons, but in practice, they often don't have enough time."
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Evidence Against Global Warming
Watch the web for climate change truths
Notable stories of recent months should have been the evidence pouring in from all sides to cast doubts on the idea that the world is inexorably heating up. The proponents of man-made global warming have become so rattled by how the forecasts of their computer models are being contradicted by the data that some are rushing to modify the thesis.
So a German study, published by Nature last week, claimed that, while the world is definitely warming, it may cool down until 2015 "while natural variations in climate cancel out the increases caused by man-made greenhouse gas emissions".
A little vignette of the media's one-sided view was given by recent events on Snowdon, the highest mountain in southern Britain. Each year between 2003 and 2007, the retreat of its winter snow cover inspired reports citing this as evidence of global warming.
In 2004 scientists from the University of Bangor made headlines with the prediction that Snowdon might lose its snowcap altogether by 2020. In 2007 a Welsh MP, Lembit Opik, was saying "it is shocking to think that in just 14 years snow on this mountain could be nothing but a distant memory".
Last November, viewing photographs of a snowless Snowdon at an exhibition in Cardiff, the Welsh environment minister, Jane Davidson, said "we must act now to reduce the greenhouse gases that cause climate change".
Yet virtually no coverage has been given to the abnormally deep spring snow which prevented the completion of a new building on Snowdon's summit for more than a month, and nearly made it miss the deadline for £4.2 million of EU funding. (Brussels eventually extended the deadline to next autumn.)
Two weeks ago, as North America emerged from its coldest and snowiest winter for decades, the US National Climate Data Center, run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a statement that snow cover in January on the Eurasian land mass had been the most extensive ever recorded, and that in the US March had been only the 63rd warmest since records began in 1895.
While global warming enthusiasts might take cheer from the NOAA's claim that "average global land temperature" in March was "the warmest on record", this was in striking contrast to a graph published last week on the Climate Audit website by Steve McIntyre.
Tracking satellite data for the tropical troposphere, it showed March temperatures plunging to one of their lowest points in 30 years.
Mr McIntyre is the computer expert who exposed the infamous "hockey stick" graph - that icon of warmist orthodoxy which showed global temperatures soaring recently to their highest level for 1,000 years. He showed that the computer model that produced this graph had been so designed that it would have conjured even random numbers from a telephone directory into the shape of a hockey stick).
On April 24 the World Wildife Fund (WWF), another body keen to keep the warmist flag flying, published a study warning that Arctic sea ice was melting so fast that it may soon reach a "tipping point" where "irreversible change" takes place. This was based on last September's data, showing ice cover having shrunk over six months from 13 million square kilometres to just 3 million.
What the WWF omitted to mention was that by March the ice had recovered to 14 million sq km (see the website Cryosphere Today), and that ice-cover around the Bering Strait and Alaska that month was at its highest level ever recorded. (At the same time Antarctic sea ice-cover was also at its highest-ever level, 30 per cent above normal).
The most dramatic evidence, however, emerged last week with an announcement by Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory that an immense slow-cycling movement of water in the Pacific, known as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), had unexpectedly shifted into its cool phase, something which only happens every 30 years or so, ultimately affecting climate all over the globe.
Discussion of this on the invaluable Watts Up With That website, run by the US meteorologist Anthony Watts, shows how the alternations of the PDO between warm and cool coincided with each of the major temperature shifts of the 20th century - warming after 1905, cooling after 1946, warming again after 1977 - and how the new shift to a cool phase could have repercussions for decades to come.
It is notable that the German computer predictions published last week by Nature forecast a decade of cooling due to deep-ocean movements in the Atlantic, without taking account of how this may now be reinforced by a similar, even greater movement in the Pacific.
Mr Watts points out that the West coast of the USA might already be experiencing these effects in the recent freezing temperatures that have devastated orchards and vineyards in California, prompting an appeal for disaster relief for growers who fear they may have lost this year's crops.
Mr Watts's readers are amused by the explanation from one warmist apologist that "these natural climate phenomena can sometimes hide global warming caused by human activities - or they can have the opposite effect of accentuating it".
It is striking, in view of the colossal implications of the current response to "the greatest challenge confronting mankind" - as our politicians love to call it - how this hugely important debate is almost entirely overlooked by the media, and is instead conducted largely on the internet, through expert websites such as those run by Mr McIntyre and Mr Watts.
On one hand our politicians are committing us to spending unimaginable sums on wind farms, emissions trading schemes, absurdly ambitious biofuel targets, and every kind of tax and regulation designed to reduce our "carbon footprint" - all based on blindly accepting the predictions of computer models that the planet is overheating due to our output of greenhouse gases.
On the other hand, a growing number of scientists are producing ever more evidence to show how those computer models are based on wholly inadequate data and assumptions - as is being confirmed by the behaviour of nature itself (not least the continuing non-arrival of sunspot cycle 24).
The fact is that what has been happening to the world's climate in recent years, since global temperatures ceased to rise after 1998, was not predicted by any of those officially-sponsored models. The discrepancy between their predictions and observable data becomes more glaring with every month that passes.
It won't do for believers in warmist orthodoxy to claim that, although temperatures may be falling, this is only because they are "masking an underlying warming trend that is still continuing" - nor to fob us off with assurances that the "German model shows that higher temperatures than 1998, the warmest year on record, are likely to return after 2015".
In view of what is now at stake, such quasi-religious incantations masquerading as science are something we can no longer afford. We should get back to proper science before it is too late.
Notable stories of recent months should have been the evidence pouring in from all sides to cast doubts on the idea that the world is inexorably heating up. The proponents of man-made global warming have become so rattled by how the forecasts of their computer models are being contradicted by the data that some are rushing to modify the thesis.
So a German study, published by Nature last week, claimed that, while the world is definitely warming, it may cool down until 2015 "while natural variations in climate cancel out the increases caused by man-made greenhouse gas emissions".
A little vignette of the media's one-sided view was given by recent events on Snowdon, the highest mountain in southern Britain. Each year between 2003 and 2007, the retreat of its winter snow cover inspired reports citing this as evidence of global warming.
In 2004 scientists from the University of Bangor made headlines with the prediction that Snowdon might lose its snowcap altogether by 2020. In 2007 a Welsh MP, Lembit Opik, was saying "it is shocking to think that in just 14 years snow on this mountain could be nothing but a distant memory".
Last November, viewing photographs of a snowless Snowdon at an exhibition in Cardiff, the Welsh environment minister, Jane Davidson, said "we must act now to reduce the greenhouse gases that cause climate change".
Yet virtually no coverage has been given to the abnormally deep spring snow which prevented the completion of a new building on Snowdon's summit for more than a month, and nearly made it miss the deadline for £4.2 million of EU funding. (Brussels eventually extended the deadline to next autumn.)
Two weeks ago, as North America emerged from its coldest and snowiest winter for decades, the US National Climate Data Center, run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a statement that snow cover in January on the Eurasian land mass had been the most extensive ever recorded, and that in the US March had been only the 63rd warmest since records began in 1895.
While global warming enthusiasts might take cheer from the NOAA's claim that "average global land temperature" in March was "the warmest on record", this was in striking contrast to a graph published last week on the Climate Audit website by Steve McIntyre.
Tracking satellite data for the tropical troposphere, it showed March temperatures plunging to one of their lowest points in 30 years.
Mr McIntyre is the computer expert who exposed the infamous "hockey stick" graph - that icon of warmist orthodoxy which showed global temperatures soaring recently to their highest level for 1,000 years. He showed that the computer model that produced this graph had been so designed that it would have conjured even random numbers from a telephone directory into the shape of a hockey stick).
On April 24 the World Wildife Fund (WWF), another body keen to keep the warmist flag flying, published a study warning that Arctic sea ice was melting so fast that it may soon reach a "tipping point" where "irreversible change" takes place. This was based on last September's data, showing ice cover having shrunk over six months from 13 million square kilometres to just 3 million.
What the WWF omitted to mention was that by March the ice had recovered to 14 million sq km (see the website Cryosphere Today), and that ice-cover around the Bering Strait and Alaska that month was at its highest level ever recorded. (At the same time Antarctic sea ice-cover was also at its highest-ever level, 30 per cent above normal).
The most dramatic evidence, however, emerged last week with an announcement by Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory that an immense slow-cycling movement of water in the Pacific, known as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), had unexpectedly shifted into its cool phase, something which only happens every 30 years or so, ultimately affecting climate all over the globe.
Discussion of this on the invaluable Watts Up With That website, run by the US meteorologist Anthony Watts, shows how the alternations of the PDO between warm and cool coincided with each of the major temperature shifts of the 20th century - warming after 1905, cooling after 1946, warming again after 1977 - and how the new shift to a cool phase could have repercussions for decades to come.
It is notable that the German computer predictions published last week by Nature forecast a decade of cooling due to deep-ocean movements in the Atlantic, without taking account of how this may now be reinforced by a similar, even greater movement in the Pacific.
Mr Watts points out that the West coast of the USA might already be experiencing these effects in the recent freezing temperatures that have devastated orchards and vineyards in California, prompting an appeal for disaster relief for growers who fear they may have lost this year's crops.
Mr Watts's readers are amused by the explanation from one warmist apologist that "these natural climate phenomena can sometimes hide global warming caused by human activities - or they can have the opposite effect of accentuating it".
It is striking, in view of the colossal implications of the current response to "the greatest challenge confronting mankind" - as our politicians love to call it - how this hugely important debate is almost entirely overlooked by the media, and is instead conducted largely on the internet, through expert websites such as those run by Mr McIntyre and Mr Watts.
On one hand our politicians are committing us to spending unimaginable sums on wind farms, emissions trading schemes, absurdly ambitious biofuel targets, and every kind of tax and regulation designed to reduce our "carbon footprint" - all based on blindly accepting the predictions of computer models that the planet is overheating due to our output of greenhouse gases.
On the other hand, a growing number of scientists are producing ever more evidence to show how those computer models are based on wholly inadequate data and assumptions - as is being confirmed by the behaviour of nature itself (not least the continuing non-arrival of sunspot cycle 24).
The fact is that what has been happening to the world's climate in recent years, since global temperatures ceased to rise after 1998, was not predicted by any of those officially-sponsored models. The discrepancy between their predictions and observable data becomes more glaring with every month that passes.
It won't do for believers in warmist orthodoxy to claim that, although temperatures may be falling, this is only because they are "masking an underlying warming trend that is still continuing" - nor to fob us off with assurances that the "German model shows that higher temperatures than 1998, the warmest year on record, are likely to return after 2015".
In view of what is now at stake, such quasi-religious incantations masquerading as science are something we can no longer afford. We should get back to proper science before it is too late.
Saturday, 5 April 2008
George Smiley
Remember, I did this under the time limits that you might have in an exam, so there will be some gaps. It is by no means perfect. It's what you might be expected to come up with in about 45 minutes.
This text is in the genre of a spy novel. However it is not in the tradition of James Bond, as George Smiley is clearly not that kind of spy. The author John Le Carre clearly has a different kind of spy in mind. Le Carre’s purpose is as might be expected to entertain the audience, but not through acts of great courage and romantic conquest, but rather through his portrayal of a very ordinary man, who is suffering a very mundane problem suffered by mere mortals, an unfaithful wife. The tone of the text is one of dullness, monotony, ordinariness. Smiley is painted as very much an outsider in society.
The first paragraph sets the scene with the establishment of hatred that he feels for his wife, although he could not realistically sustain this as he still feels trapped by the love he has for her.
The next paragraph sets the rather dull tone with a build-up of vocabulary, “fog, heavier, closeness, bare, sparse, cautious…” all of this serving to create an atmosphere of oppression. The sentences are rather short and to the point. The mention of the fashionable King’s Road serves to establish the alienation of Smiley from this world. He is too ordinary, too mundane. The cul-de-sac emphasizes the fact that he feels trapped in a dead-end of his own. The oxymoronic “shrieking, silent…” reflects the anguish he feels. Lady Macbeth is perhaps reflective of the role his wife has played, in betrayal and manipulation of him.
The shutters of the next paragraph further emphasise the way he has been shut out of mainstream world, but they are not closed, highlighting the rather free-spirited nature of his wife. She is presented as a sophisticated rather sociable person who likes the finer things in life, contrasting with the dull monotony of Smiley’s world. It seems their relationship had been one of dependence on his part, and tolerance on hers, as long as she could have her adventures. She has clearly tormented him with her succession of affairs, and he is painted as a rather pathetic figure who would always accept her back, she would try for a while, learn German, so he could read to her, but in the end it would not last.
“As he watched…” is first of all reflective of his profession, he is after all a spy. It also emphasizes his alienation from the world of his wife. He still feels great resentment at what she put him through. The notes in the mirror . show what feelings he still has for her, how he has tortured himself in a masochistic way with his attachment to her, and that he has even kept all her letters to him in a “collection”.
It is quite sad when he is looking through the windows and it takes him some time to realize that she has another man in with her in the bedroom. He still is fooling himself until the moment when he sees someone else close the curtains. His obsession is still with security of the house, perhaps reflecting his own insecurity. There is a certain irony here in the situation in that the security is acting against him.
The last paragraph establishes the shame and self-disgust he feels. He has been fooled but it is his own fault. He is truly an outsider now, betrayed once again, by the woman he idealises. The words “anguish…blindly” clearly show this. He imagines what kinds of man might be in there with her, and his hatred is quite clear, all the types of men he might despise.
In summary Smiley is seen as a sad, alienated figure, who is deluding himself about his wife. In his work he is a senior spy, but the irony is that he is in thrall of his wife and under her control.
This text is in the genre of a spy novel. However it is not in the tradition of James Bond, as George Smiley is clearly not that kind of spy. The author John Le Carre clearly has a different kind of spy in mind. Le Carre’s purpose is as might be expected to entertain the audience, but not through acts of great courage and romantic conquest, but rather through his portrayal of a very ordinary man, who is suffering a very mundane problem suffered by mere mortals, an unfaithful wife. The tone of the text is one of dullness, monotony, ordinariness. Smiley is painted as very much an outsider in society.
The first paragraph sets the scene with the establishment of hatred that he feels for his wife, although he could not realistically sustain this as he still feels trapped by the love he has for her.
The next paragraph sets the rather dull tone with a build-up of vocabulary, “fog, heavier, closeness, bare, sparse, cautious…” all of this serving to create an atmosphere of oppression. The sentences are rather short and to the point. The mention of the fashionable King’s Road serves to establish the alienation of Smiley from this world. He is too ordinary, too mundane. The cul-de-sac emphasizes the fact that he feels trapped in a dead-end of his own. The oxymoronic “shrieking, silent…” reflects the anguish he feels. Lady Macbeth is perhaps reflective of the role his wife has played, in betrayal and manipulation of him.
The shutters of the next paragraph further emphasise the way he has been shut out of mainstream world, but they are not closed, highlighting the rather free-spirited nature of his wife. She is presented as a sophisticated rather sociable person who likes the finer things in life, contrasting with the dull monotony of Smiley’s world. It seems their relationship had been one of dependence on his part, and tolerance on hers, as long as she could have her adventures. She has clearly tormented him with her succession of affairs, and he is painted as a rather pathetic figure who would always accept her back, she would try for a while, learn German, so he could read to her, but in the end it would not last.
“As he watched…” is first of all reflective of his profession, he is after all a spy. It also emphasizes his alienation from the world of his wife. He still feels great resentment at what she put him through. The notes in the mirror . show what feelings he still has for her, how he has tortured himself in a masochistic way with his attachment to her, and that he has even kept all her letters to him in a “collection”.
It is quite sad when he is looking through the windows and it takes him some time to realize that she has another man in with her in the bedroom. He still is fooling himself until the moment when he sees someone else close the curtains. His obsession is still with security of the house, perhaps reflecting his own insecurity. There is a certain irony here in the situation in that the security is acting against him.
The last paragraph establishes the shame and self-disgust he feels. He has been fooled but it is his own fault. He is truly an outsider now, betrayed once again, by the woman he idealises. The words “anguish…blindly” clearly show this. He imagines what kinds of man might be in there with her, and his hatred is quite clear, all the types of men he might despise.
In summary Smiley is seen as a sad, alienated figure, who is deluding himself about his wife. In his work he is a senior spy, but the irony is that he is in thrall of his wife and under her control.
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
New GP Topic Blocks 3 and 4. Abortion
Here is a summary of the arguments on each side of the abortion debate. In the USA the two sides are generally called "Pro-choice" who are for abortions and "Pro-life" who are against. The debate has often been quite heated and has on occasions led to violence, with some abortion clinics being targeted with bombs by extreme members of the Pro-life side.
What the Pro-Life (against abortion) side believe:
Pro-life people are diverse in economic status, race, religion, and education. Yet, they are unified by the concept that all humans, especially the innocent unborn, have an inherent right to life.
· I believe that the unborn child is human.
· I believe life begins at conception.
· I believe that abortion is not safe.
· I believe that abortion is a war on the unborn.
· I believe that the Roe v. Wade decision, legalizing abortion on demand in America, was one of the most important and devastating Supreme Court decisions.
· I believe that a constitutional amendment should be passed that gives equal protection to all living humans, including the unborn.
· I believe that the violence inside and outside abortion clinics is morally wrong.
· I believe that rape and incest are horrible crimes and should be punished, but I don't believe that a child conceived from either should be killed.
· I do not believe that the government should fund abortions.
· I do not believe that the government should fund Planned Parenthood - the largest national supplier of abortions.
· Being a religious person, I believe that the Bible backs up my views on abortion.
Have a look at these links
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/ethics/abortion/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion
www.abortionfacts.com/
What the Pro Choice (for abortion) side believe:
· The fetus is not a human, just a mass of tissue
· Abortion is safer than childbirth.
· Abortion is Safe
· Every child should be a wanted child.
· The number of abortions is relatively small.
· Nobody has the right to impose their morals on me.
· A woman should be able to control her own body.
· Abortion must be kept legal, especially for all the rape and incest pregnancies.
· If abortion is outlawed women will be forced to go to back-alley abortion clinics.
· Aborting unwanted children reduces the number of abused children.
· We need to remember that we are overpopulating the planet
·
What the Pro-Life (against abortion) side believe:
Pro-life people are diverse in economic status, race, religion, and education. Yet, they are unified by the concept that all humans, especially the innocent unborn, have an inherent right to life.
· I believe that the unborn child is human.
· I believe life begins at conception.
· I believe that abortion is not safe.
· I believe that abortion is a war on the unborn.
· I believe that the Roe v. Wade decision, legalizing abortion on demand in America, was one of the most important and devastating Supreme Court decisions.
· I believe that a constitutional amendment should be passed that gives equal protection to all living humans, including the unborn.
· I believe that the violence inside and outside abortion clinics is morally wrong.
· I believe that rape and incest are horrible crimes and should be punished, but I don't believe that a child conceived from either should be killed.
· I do not believe that the government should fund abortions.
· I do not believe that the government should fund Planned Parenthood - the largest national supplier of abortions.
· Being a religious person, I believe that the Bible backs up my views on abortion.
Have a look at these links
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/ethics/abortion/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion
www.abortionfacts.com/
Saturday, 12 January 2008
GP Topic - Drug Abuse. Block 3 and 4
here's a couple of links that you might find useful for the research into the topic. This will help with the essay.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/mental_health/drugs_use.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/surgery/drink_drugs/
AK
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/mental_health/drugs_use.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/surgery/drink_drugs/
AK
Thursday, 8 November 2007
Thursday, 1 November 2007
Reminder about Narrative Writing
For some good explanations about the characteristics of Narrative Writing, follow these links:
http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~mdesoto/101online_new/assignment3writing.htm
http://engla.jppss.k12.la.us/writing%20craft%20&%20genre%20instruction%20files/Personal_Narrative_Characteristics.pdf
http://www.thewritingsite.org/resources/genre/narrative.asp
http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~mdesoto/101online_new/assignment3writing.htm
http://engla.jppss.k12.la.us/writing%20craft%20&%20genre%20instruction%20files/Personal_Narrative_Characteristics.pdf
http://www.thewritingsite.org/resources/genre/narrative.asp
Friday, 26 October 2007
These are REAL answers
Exam Answers
The following questions and answers were collated from last year's British GCSE exams (16 year olds)! Give us strength ... these people are tomorrow's leaders ... my bet is that we will become extinct!
Geography
Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.
Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.
Q: What is a planet?
A: A body of earth surrounded by sky.
Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.
Sociology
Q: What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on?
A: If you are buying a house, they will insist you are well endowed.
Q: In a democratic society, how important are elections?
A: Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election.
Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.
Biology
Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.
Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.
Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A: Premature death.
Q: What is artificial insemination?
A: When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow.
Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?
A: Keep it in the cow.
Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen).
A: The body is consisted into three parts-the brainium, theborax and the abdominal cavity. The branium contains thebrain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A, E, I, O and U.
Q: What is the Fibula?
A: A small lie.
Q: What does *varicose- mean?
A: Nearby.
Q: What is the most common form of birth control?
A: Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium.
Q: Give the meaning of the term *Caesarean Section.
A: The caesarean section is a district in Rome.
Q: What is a seizure?
A: A Roman emperor.
Q: What is a terminal illness?
A: When you are sick at the airport
Q: Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature?
A: Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and so they look like umbrellas.
English
Q: Use the word *judicious- in a sentence to show you understand its meaning.
A: Hands that judicious can be soft as your face.
Q: What does the word *benign- mean?
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.
Technology
Q: What is a turbine?
A: Something an Arab wears.
The following questions and answers were collated from last year's British GCSE exams (16 year olds)! Give us strength ... these people are tomorrow's leaders ... my bet is that we will become extinct!
Geography
Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.
Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.
Q: What is a planet?
A: A body of earth surrounded by sky.
Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.
Sociology
Q: What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on?
A: If you are buying a house, they will insist you are well endowed.
Q: In a democratic society, how important are elections?
A: Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election.
Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.
Biology
Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.
Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.
Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A: Premature death.
Q: What is artificial insemination?
A: When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow.
Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?
A: Keep it in the cow.
Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen).
A: The body is consisted into three parts-the brainium, theborax and the abdominal cavity. The branium contains thebrain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A, E, I, O and U.
Q: What is the Fibula?
A: A small lie.
Q: What does *varicose- mean?
A: Nearby.
Q: What is the most common form of birth control?
A: Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium.
Q: Give the meaning of the term *Caesarean Section.
A: The caesarean section is a district in Rome.
Q: What is a seizure?
A: A Roman emperor.
Q: What is a terminal illness?
A: When you are sick at the airport
Q: Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature?
A: Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and so they look like umbrellas.
English
Q: Use the word *judicious- in a sentence to show you understand its meaning.
A: Hands that judicious can be soft as your face.
Q: What does the word *benign- mean?
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.
Technology
Q: What is a turbine?
A: Something an Arab wears.
Tuesday, 2 October 2007
Homework for all PU1 students. Due immediately after Hari Raya holiday.
Below is Paper 1 Question 2 June 2006. This is a humorous text. Much of the the humour is derived by contrasting the great plans of Herman Hochstetter with the actual results: this is irony or ironic humour.
Answer both questions, submit after Hari Raya holiday. Remember a commentary should be around 650 words.
Answer both questions, submit after Hari Raya holiday. Remember a commentary should be around 650 words.
The passage below takes a comic look at patriotism. It is set in a fictional place called
(a) Comment on the style and language of the passage. [15]
(b) As part of his autobiography, Herman writes a chapter outlining his achievement in creating a ceremony and why it began to go wrong. Basing your answer closely on the material of the extract, write the opening to the chapter (between 120 and 150 words). [10]
On patriotic days, flags flew all over; there were flags on the tall poles, flags on the short, flags in the brackets on the pillars and the porches, and if you were flagless you could expect to hear from Herman. His hairy arm around your shoulder, his poochlike face close to yours, he would say how proud he was that so many people were proud of their country, leaving you to see the obvious, that you were a gap in the ranks.
In June 1944, the day after D-Day, a salesman from Fisher Hat called on Herman and offered a good deal on red and blue baseball caps. ‘Do you have white also?’ Herman asked. The salesman thought that white caps could be had for the same wonderful price. Herman ordered two hundred red, two hundred white, and one hundred blue. By the end of the year, he still had four hundred and eighty-six caps. The inspiration of the Living Flag was born from that overstock.
On June 14, 1945, a month after V-E Day, a good crowd assembled in front of the
Honor ‘
His wife Louise handed out the caps, and Herman stood on a stepladder and told the people where to stand. He lined up the reds and whites into stripes, then got the blues into their square. Mr. Hanson climbed up on the roof of the Central Building and took a photograph, they sang the national anthem, and then the Living Flag dispersed. The photograph appeared in the paper the next week. Herman kept the caps.
In the flush of victory, people were happy to do as they were told and stand in place, but in 1946 and 1947, dissension cropped up in the ranks: people complained about the heat and about Herman – what gave him the idea he could order them around? ‘People! Please! I need your attention! You blue people, keep your hats on! Please! Stripe number 4, you’re sagging! You reds, you’re up here! We got too many white people, we need more red ones! Let’s do this without talking, people! I can’t get you straight if you keep moving around! Some of you are not paying attention! Everybody shut up! Please!’
One cause of resentment was the fact that none of them got to see the flag they were in; the picture in the paper was black and white. Only Herman and Mr. Hanson got to see the real Flag, and some boys too short to be needed down below. People wanted a chance to go up to the roof and witness the spectacle for themselves.
‘How can you go up there if you’re supposed to be down here?’ Herman said.‘You go up to look, you got nothing to look at. Isn’t it enough to know that you’re doing your part?’
On Flag Day, 1949, just as Herman said, ‘That’s it! Hold it now!’ one of the reds made a break for it – dashed up four flights of stairs to the roof and leaned over and had a long look. Even with the hole he had left behind, it was a magnificent sight. The Living Flag filled the street below. A perfect Flag! The reds so brilliant! He couldn’t take his eyes off it. ‘Get down here! We need a picture!’ Herman yelled up at him. ‘Unbelievable! I can’t describe it!’ he said.
So then everyone had to have a look. ‘No!’ Herman said, but they took a vote and it was unanimous. One by one, members of the Living Flag went up to the roof and admired it. It was marvellous! It brought tears to the eyes, it made one reflect on this great country and on
Friday, 28 September 2007
For EAS Blk 2 (1-6 Oct 07)
(1) TEEN INK
Teen Ink magazine offers some of the most thoughtful and creative work generated by teens and has the largest distribution of any publication of its kind. We have no staff writers or artists; we depend completely on submissions from teenagers nationwide (United States) for our content http://teenink.com/Opinion/
(2) Online Bookshelf .... browse on...
http://books.guardian.co.uk/extracts/
(3) BOOKS WRITTEN BY AUNG SAN SUU KYI
Please read the editorial and customer reviews which are found at the bottom of the Amazon web page.
Letters from Burma
http://www.amazon.com/Letters-Burma-Aung-San-Suu/dp/0140264035/ref=pd_rhf_p_1/105-1065948-5219666
Freedom from Fear and Other Writings
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140253173/ref=pd_cp_b_2/105-1065948-5219666?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_r=17MW2725XG3MJZFYWZQ9&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=252362401 &pf_rd_i=0140264035
The Voice of Hope:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/1888363509/ref=dp_proddesc_0/105-1065948-5219666?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
Teen Ink magazine offers some of the most thoughtful and creative work generated by teens and has the largest distribution of any publication of its kind. We have no staff writers or artists; we depend completely on submissions from teenagers nationwide (United States) for our content http://teenink.com/Opinion/
(2) Online Bookshelf .... browse on...
http://books.guardian.co.uk/extracts/
(3) BOOKS WRITTEN BY AUNG SAN SUU KYI
Please read the editorial and customer reviews which are found at the bottom of the Amazon web page.
Letters from Burma
http://www.amazon.com/Letters-Burma-Aung-San-Suu/dp/0140264035/ref=pd_rhf_p_1/105-1065948-5219666
Freedom from Fear and Other Writings
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140253173/ref=pd_cp_b_2/105-1065948-5219666?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_r=17MW2725XG3MJZFYWZQ9&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=252362401 &pf_rd_i=0140264035
The Voice of Hope:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/1888363509/ref=dp_proddesc_0/105-1065948-5219666?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
Wednesday, 26 September 2007
Saturday, 15 September 2007
More about Malcolm
For those of you who are intrigued by the life of Malcolm X after attempting question 1 (Paper 1) in the EAS examination not too long ago, you may find out more about the activist from these websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X
Biography of Malcolm X: www.africawithin.com/malcolmx/malcolm_bio.htm
The Official Web Site of Malcolm X: www.cmgworldwide.com/historic/malcolm
Malcolm X; A Research Site: http://www.brothermalcolm.net/
The Malcolm X Project at Columbia University: www.columbia.edu/cu/ccbh/mxp/
"The Autobiography of Malcolm X "
The Autobiography of Malcolm X was written by Alex Haley between 1964 and 1965, based on interviews conducted shortly before Malcolm X's death (and with an epilogue after it), and published in 1965. The book was named by Time magazine as one of the ten most important nonfiction books of the 20th century.
The screenplay for the 1992 Spike Lee film Malcolm X was adapted from The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
The book describes Malcolm X's upbringing in Michigan, his maturation to adulthood in Boston and New York, his time in prison, his conversion to Islam, his ministry, his travels to Africa and to Mecca, and his subsequent career and eventual assassination at the Audubon Ballroom near 166th Street and Broadway in New York City. The book contains a great deal of substantial thought that concerns African-American existence.
The emotional timbre of the book could be described as a crystal-clear elucidation of some very complicated philosophies originating from the unpleasant, tragic life experience of Malcolm X as a child in Michigan.
Haley stated in the documentary Eyes on the Prize that it was difficult to write the autobiography because Malcolm X was quite averse to talking about himself and preferred instead to talk about the Nation of Islam.
However, the book has been criticized by some scholars[attribution needed] for possibly being factually inaccurate or misleading in certain parts[citation needed]. In addition, members of Malcolm X's family and the Nation of Islam have accused author Alex Haley of changing or fictionalizing parts of the story[specify].
In fact, in 2005 historian Manning Marable, for his book 'Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention', claimed that Haley worked with the FBI while writing the book with Malcolm X. He also talked about the existence of three unpublished chapters of the book.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X
Biography of Malcolm X: www.africawithin.com/malcolmx/malcolm_bio.htm
The Official Web Site of Malcolm X: www.cmgworldwide.com/historic/malcolm
Malcolm X; A Research Site: http://www.brothermalcolm.net/
The Malcolm X Project at Columbia University: www.columbia.edu/cu/ccbh/mxp/
"The Autobiography of Malcolm X "
The Autobiography of Malcolm X was written by Alex Haley between 1964 and 1965, based on interviews conducted shortly before Malcolm X's death (and with an epilogue after it), and published in 1965. The book was named by Time magazine as one of the ten most important nonfiction books of the 20th century.
The screenplay for the 1992 Spike Lee film Malcolm X was adapted from The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
The book describes Malcolm X's upbringing in Michigan, his maturation to adulthood in Boston and New York, his time in prison, his conversion to Islam, his ministry, his travels to Africa and to Mecca, and his subsequent career and eventual assassination at the Audubon Ballroom near 166th Street and Broadway in New York City. The book contains a great deal of substantial thought that concerns African-American existence.
The emotional timbre of the book could be described as a crystal-clear elucidation of some very complicated philosophies originating from the unpleasant, tragic life experience of Malcolm X as a child in Michigan.
Haley stated in the documentary Eyes on the Prize that it was difficult to write the autobiography because Malcolm X was quite averse to talking about himself and preferred instead to talk about the Nation of Islam.
However, the book has been criticized by some scholars[attribution needed] for possibly being factually inaccurate or misleading in certain parts[citation needed]. In addition, members of Malcolm X's family and the Nation of Islam have accused author Alex Haley of changing or fictionalizing parts of the story[specify].
In fact, in 2005 historian Manning Marable, for his book 'Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention', claimed that Haley worked with the FBI while writing the book with Malcolm X. He also talked about the existence of three unpublished chapters of the book.[1]
(posted by Mrs Saunders)
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
Notes for Writers
1. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
4. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
5. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat.)
6. Also, always avoid annoying assonance
7. Be more or less specific.
8. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
9. Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
10. No sentence fragments.
11. Contractions aren't necessary and shouldn't be used.
12. Foreign words and phrases are neither apropos nor de rigueur.
13. Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
14. One should NEVER generalize.
15. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
16. Don't use no double negatives.
17. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
18. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
20. The passive voice is to be ignored.
21. Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words however should be enclosed in commas.
22. Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.
23. DO NOT use exclamation points and all caps to emphasize!!!
24. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
25. Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth shaking ideas.
26. Use the apostrophe in it's proper place and omit it when its not needed.
27. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
28. If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly.
29. Puns are for children, not groan readers.
30. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
31. Even IF a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
32. Who needs rhetorical questions?
33. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
34. The passive voice should never be used.
36. Do not put statements in the negative form.
37. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
38. A writer must not shift your point of view.
39. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
40. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
41. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
42. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
43. Always pick on the correct idiom.
44. Be careful to use the rite homonym. And Finally...
45. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
4. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
5. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat.)
6. Also, always avoid annoying assonance
7. Be more or less specific.
8. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
9. Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
10. No sentence fragments.
11. Contractions aren't necessary and shouldn't be used.
12. Foreign words and phrases are neither apropos nor de rigueur.
13. Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
14. One should NEVER generalize.
15. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
16. Don't use no double negatives.
17. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
18. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
20. The passive voice is to be ignored.
21. Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words however should be enclosed in commas.
22. Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.
23. DO NOT use exclamation points and all caps to emphasize!!!
24. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
25. Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth shaking ideas.
26. Use the apostrophe in it's proper place and omit it when its not needed.
27. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
28. If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly.
29. Puns are for children, not groan readers.
30. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
31. Even IF a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
32. Who needs rhetorical questions?
33. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
34. The passive voice should never be used.
36. Do not put statements in the negative form.
37. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
38. A writer must not shift your point of view.
39. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
40. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
41. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
42. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
43. Always pick on the correct idiom.
44. Be careful to use the rite homonym. And Finally...
45. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.
Friday, 10 August 2007
A Glossary for Text Commentary (AK)
OVERVIEW
Genre Fact: brochure, speech, dialogue, biography, magazine etc Fiction: novel, mystery, science fiction, gothic etc
Purpose Express as a verb: To entertain, to arouse sympathy, to sell something, to amuse, to criticize etc
Tone (Mood) Express as an adjective: persuasive, critical, laudatory, humorous, informative etc . Does it change or develop throughout the text? Do relationships between people change throughout the text?
Audience Is it for a general or specific readership? If specific, who will read it?
STRUCTURE
Vocab.(Diction) Shows tone. Positive/Negative/Neutral. (In)formal? Contrast in the vocab, between and within paragraphs? Specialized?
Punctuation Use of (semi-)colons, commas, brackets, quotation marks etc. What is the effect?
Grammar Length of paragraphs and sentences. Tense? 1st/2nd/3rd Person? Parts of speech (nouns, verbs etc), Direct Speech?
FIGURES OF SPEECH
Simile X is like Y or X is as ____ as Y. "My love is like a rose which blooms in Spring”
Metaphor X is Y. “My love is a rose which blooms in Spring”
Personification Giving human characteristics to non-human things. “The old car wheezed as it fought its way up the hill”
Rhetorical Question Asking a question to make a point, not requiring an answer. “Why do I have to do everything round here?”
Onomatopoeia Sounds like a sound. Bang, crash, crackle, pop, splash, whizz.
Alliteration Repetition of initial consonant sounds, usually harsh ones. “Big, brown bear” “A piece of paper”.
Assonance Repetition of vowel sounds within words, “a ship in distress”, usually in poetry rather than prose.
Contrast Two opposite ideas placed in juxtaposition, “’It was the best of times, It was the worst of times”
Oxymoron A seeming contradiction. “Artificial grass, fighting for peace, a quiet scream”
Hyperbole Exaggeration: “I’ve told you a thousand times, stop exaggerating!”
Repetition “Physics homework, English homework, Geography homework, will it never end?”
Pun A word with a “double meaning” used for humorous effect. “A backward poet writes inverse”
Euphemism Language used to avoid offence. “I’m going to the little girl’s room to powder my nose”. “His father passed away.”
Irony Saying the opposite of what you mean. “No, I’m not upset you are dumping me!” she sniffed.
Idiom Device whereby the words used do not contain their literal meaning. “The cat got your tongue!” (You can’t speak)
Connotation Suggestion evoked by word or phrase e.g. bachelor (cool guy about town) spinster (old woman left on the shelf)
Imagery Pictures created in readers’ minds, using comparisons (simile, metaphor)
Juxtaposition Placing things next to each other to show a relationship.
Prose Continuous writing which is not verse or dialogue.
Parallelism. A balance of two or more similar words or phrases. Giving two or more parts of the sentences a similar form so as to give the whole a definite pattern.
Have a look at this link for "Everything you ever wanted to know about figures of speech but were afraid to ask." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figure_of_speech
Thursday, 2 August 2007
Blocks 3 and 4. Cambridge
Here is the link I told you about. Click it, or paste it into your address bar, or just click the title of this post. Download 2005 Paper 1, Paper 2 and examiner's report, print them out and we'll look at them next week.
http://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/uppersec/alevel/subject?assdef_id=778
http://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/uppersec/alevel/subject?assdef_id=778
Tuesday, 17 July 2007
Narrative Writing
For some good explanations about the characteristics of Narrative Writing, follow these links:
http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~mdesoto/101online_new/assignment3writing.htm
http://engla.jppss.k12.la.us/writing%20craft%20&%20genre%20instruction%20files/Personal_Narrative_Characteristics.pdf
http://www.thewritingsite.org/resources/genre/narrative.asp
http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~mdesoto/101online_new/assignment3writing.htm
http://engla.jppss.k12.la.us/writing%20craft%20&%20genre%20instruction%20files/Personal_Narrative_Characteristics.pdf
http://www.thewritingsite.org/resources/genre/narrative.asp
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
Advertising: Blocks 3 and 4
Look at the article posted on Thursday, 24 May 2007 about the advert for the Suzuki car. That will help you in the composition of the text for your tourism brochure. This is not supposed to be a huge task. The attention span of someone reading an advert is quite short, you need to grab and hold their attention quickly, with short sentences, imperatives, appeal to emotion and vanity, make the reader feel special, flatter them ("You are a sophisticated, discerning traveller who wants only the best." etc.)
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